Zardari, Faryal get another extension in their bails

FIA says Aslam Masood cannot be presented before court due to his health

KARACHI: A special banking court once again extended on Thursday the bails of former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and others in the mega money laundering case till March 5. The court, however, decided to hear the bail pleas of Anwar Majeed and Abdul Ghani Majeed on February 20.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor opposed the extension in bails, that the NAB Chairman has signed the request to transfer the case to a court in Islamabad and the letter issued by NAB Chairman will be presented in the court. When the court asked what decision the Sindh High Court (SHC) had taken on the bail pleas, the NAB prosecutor said that the SHC will again take up the issue today (Friday).

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutor referred to a verdict of the Supreme Court (SC), which said that bail pleas of the accused were not maintainable. The counsel for Zardari and Faryal, Farooq H Naik argued that though the apex court has ordered to transfer the case to Islamabad, there is no mention about the banking court in the verdict. FIA and NAB are misinterpreting the Supreme Court’s verdict. The FIA should explain why the final challan of the case was not being submitted, said Naik. Advocate Muneer Bhatti, appearing for Abdul Ghani Majeed, submitted that FIA has been mentioned nowhere in the Supreme Court’s orders.



When the court inquired about the progress in the case, the investigation officer, Ali Abro, said that the progress report was being submitted in the Supreme Court and the case was being transferred to Islamabad. The court remarked, “You are telling all this verbally, you should submit it in written”.

Advocate Muneer Bhatti argued for the acceptance of AG Majeed’s bail plea, saying that his disease will get severe if he does not get the surgery. Doctors of Malir Jail also appeared before the court and said that  Majeed needed the surgery.

FIA’s prosecutor asked the jail doctor that if the accused needed the treatment, why was it not being provided to him. Doctors said that they had taken the accused to hospitals outside the jail for treatment and tests several times. The accused is being provided the facilities that are present in the jail. The jail officials also presented the medical certificate before the court.

Meanwhile, the FIA submitted the medical report for not presenting Aslam Masood in the court. FIA prosecutor said that accused Aslam Masood was arrested from Dubai and his five-day transit remand was acquired from Punjab. However, the doctors have not allowed him for travel on account of his poor health. Aslam Masood’s medical condition is not good enough that he could be brought to Karachi, said the report submitted by FIA. He would be presented before the court once he gets better, said FIA prosecutor.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2019.