NAB prepares reply against Zardari’s bail plea in IHC

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has prepared its reply against the interim bail of former president Asif Ali Zardari in the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The corruption watchdog body will file the details of all inquires against the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman in the (IHC). The NAB further said investigation against Zardari in Nooriabad Power Plant Project, Thatta and Dadu Sugar Mills is under way, while four references have already been submitted against the former president in the accountability court. It is worth mentioning here that the former president had filed an application in the court to obtain details of all inquiries initiated against him by the NAB. The sources said that the anti-graft watchdog said that 22 inquiries in the fake bank accounts case are under way against Zardari, while he has obtained bail in five cases. In total of 22 inquiries against him, there are six ongoing investigations into different cases and four references have been filed against him in other cases. Meanwhile, the NAB will submit the details in the IHC upcoming week. Moreover, Zardari has obtained interim bail in five of the cases. References in money laundering through fake bank accounts, Pink Residency and water supply schemes have already been filed against him. The bureau has also alleged that Zardari, in connivance with other suspects, illegally obtained bulletproof cars from the Toshakhana (the state gift repository), which were gifted by the governments of UAE and Libya. He is also being investigated in the Park Lane Estate Company (Pvt) Ltd.

Case History

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is investigating more than 30 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur. Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July 2018 in connection with the probe. The former president’s other close aide and Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed a close aide and Omni Group chairman and his son, Abdul Ghani, were arrested by FIA in August 2018. Several ‘benami’ accounts at multiple private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to sources.