SC summons 10-year record of Zardari, Musharraf's assets in NRO case

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought ten years record of national and foreign assets of former president Asif Ali Zardari and former military ruler Pervaiz Musharraf. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the case related to National Reconciliation Ordinance  (NRO), passed by Musharraf in 2007. The counsels of Zardari and Musharraf appeared before the top court. During the hearing, the chief justice enraged over the leaking information about the affidavit of Zardari. Musharraf’s lawyer Akhtar Shah submitted the affidavit as per which, the ex-president possesses three cars abroad while he has 92,1000 dirham in foreign currency account. My client owns assets worth 5.4 million dirham, he revealed. The Supreme Court ordered former president Asif Ali Zardari, former military ruler Pervaiz Musharraf and former attorney general of Pakistan Malik Qayyum to submit their ten years national and foreign assets within three weeks. The court also directed that if late Benzir Bhutto has also the foreign accounts, it should be told. The chief justice asked the lawyer that Musharraf can take the flats with his all salaries of his life? To reply, the lawyer said that he purchased these flats after leaving his position of presidency. The top judge also asked that if a person can get such a huge money from lectures then he can start delivering lectures after his retirement. “The affidavit says that Zardari has no property or bank accounts outside of Pakistan till date which has made the statement doubtful. The court wants details of assets of the last 10 years. He should also submit asset details of Benazir Bhutto. The details should be after the year 2007,” remarked the court. Justicer Umer Ata Bandial maintained that many ways have been invented to conceal assets. “My client has been acquitted of all such charges,” replied Farooq H Naik. Chief Justice remarked that the court only requires the details of assets and do not want to re-initiate any case against Zardari. “We want to grant your client transparency certificate as a national leader,” he added.