ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has decided to summon former president Asif Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Faryal Talpur in the fake accounts case on Saturday.
The NAB has also decided to seek a written reply of the accused in addition to recording their statements.
Meanwhile, the Zardari House spokesperson said that all assets of Asif Zardari and Faryal Talpur are declared as per law.
SC rejects review petitions of Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur
The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday rejected the review petitions of former president Asif Zardari and Faryal Talpur to shift the fake accounts case to Sindh.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard the case.
The court announced the brief verdict after a four-hour hearing and rejected the applications of Omni Group, Abdul Ghani Majeed and Anwar Majeed.
Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa remarked that 99.9 percent arguments are based on fears. However, the court allowed PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto to file a review petition.
In the petition, apart from seeking a halt to the investigation, the court was requested to transfer the case to Sindh. On the other hand, the apex court also has to hear many important cases including the case pertaining to excessive payments made to independent power producers (IPP) by the government.
Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur’s bail extended till March 11
On March 5, a banking court extended the pre-arrest bail of PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur till March 11 in the mega money laundering scandal on Tuesday.
Faryal Talpur appeared before court. The accused, including Nimar Majeed and Zain Malik, were also present.
Money laundering case
The FIA is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including Zardari and Talpur. Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July 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.
Over 20 ‘benami’ accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to sources.
The amount, according to FIA sources, is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.
