It is to be seen whether history will repeat itself?
KARACHI: In 1990 perhaps, the first case under section 409, 409/109 of the Pakistan Penal Code & section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against Asif Ali Zardari as a result of an inquiry conducted by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). It was revealed that officers of nationalised banks, by disregarding the rules and regulations of the SBP, had been advancing loans to influential persons and their favourites in order to provide pecuniary benefits to them, causing losses to banks. Investigation of that case was also conducted by the FIA. But the Sindh High Court not only acquitted Zardari but also found all the charges to be groundless.
Likewise in the year 1992, another case was registered against Zardari under sections 13(f) and 16(b) of Pakistan Arms Ordinance, 1965 and sections 365-A, 395 and 109, PPC & 17(3) of the Offences Against Property Ordinance, 1979. Zardari was once again successful in obtaining bail in the aforesaid case from the Sindh High Court on several legal grounds.
Similarly in the years 1997, 2008 and 2015, Zardari faced a number of cases but in all of them he was either acquitted or granted bail. Now that he is once again facing court cases, it is to be seen whether history will repeat itself?
Arsalan Raja
Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2018.
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