Toshakhana case: Court issues Zardari’s bailable arrest warrant

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – An accountability court (AC) on Tuesday has issued bailable arrest warrant of former president Asif Ali Zardari in Toshakhana case. During the hearing of fake bank accounts reference, the court released advertisement of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for declaring him as proclaimed offender. The judge also remarked that Nawaz Sharif is deliberately not being part of the court proceedings, adding that no implementation has been carried out on the non-bailable arrest warrant that was issued against Nawaz Sharif. Rejecting the exemption plea and issuing bailable arrest warrants, the court also directed Zardari to appear before court in next hearing at any cost. Earlier, the court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif over continuous absence in Toshakhana case. According to the details garnered, former premier Yousaf Raza Gillani appeared before court. During the hearing, the court approved PPP co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zaradri’s exemption plea, asking where he is and why he has not attended the hearing. In a response, Zardari’s lawyer Farooq H Naek said that his client is in Karachi and if he attends the proceedings, there will be no space in the court as the PPP workers will throng court for showing solidarity with their leader. Asif Ali Zardari has to appear in the court for at least one time, the judge remarked. Meanwhile, Yousaf Raza Gillani has filed an exemption plea, stating that he is unable to appear in the court again and again due to coronavirus outbreak. In the previous hearing, an accountability court (AC) issued arrest warrants for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Toshakhana reference. AC Judge Asghar Ali heard the case in which former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani appeared before court, while former president Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif skipped the appearance. During the hearing, the counsel of Asif Ali Zardari presented the medical reports of his client and requested to grant exemption from court appearance. The plea was opposed by NAB’s Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar, but the court approved the plea and directed former president Asif Ali Zardari to appear on June 11 in the reference. The NAB prosecutor has requested the court to issue arrest warrants against Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Yousaf Raza Gillani and Omni Group Director Abdul Ghani Majeed. But the court turned down the anti-graft watchdog body’s request and only ordered to issue arrest warrants for the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.