IHC grants bail to Asif Zardari till June 13
Former president feared NAB would arrest him on his appearance before its investigators on May 23
FIle photo of PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted interim to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) eighth inquiry related to illegal contracts.
A divisional bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani accepted the bail of the former president against surety bonds worth Rs200,000 and granted him bail till June 13.
During the course of proceeding, Zardari's counsel Farook H Naek adopted the stance that NAB has summoned his client on May 23, in an inquiry related to award of allegedly illegal contracts in Sindh and his client fears that the accountability watchdog might arrest him during interrogation.
He said Zardari is fully cooperating with NAB, which has not yet filed a reference against him in the above matter. He requested the court to stop the anti-graft body from arresting Zardari and grant an him an interim bail.
After hearing the arguments, the bench accepted Zardari’s pre-arrest bail plea and served notices to NAB. The IHC has already granted pre-arrest bail to the PPP supreme leader in seven other cases related to alleged money laundering through fake accounts.
Accountability court hearing
Meanwhile, Zardari and his sister, Faryal Talpur, appeared before the accountability court for the fifth time in fake bank accounts case, however, the charges in the case could not be framed because the copies of the reference were not distributed.
Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik said that the accused were appearing for the hearing and they should be given the copies of the reference. He warned of action against the investigating officer, if copies of the reference were not submitted in the court before the next hearing.
Other accused also were present in the court, however, two accused currently lodged in a Karachi jail, Abdul Ghani Majeed and Anwar Majeed were absent. The court also issued show-cause notice to the Sindh chief secretary and the superintendent the Karachi Prison for not producing the two accused.
At the outset of the hearing, Farooq H Naek, the counsel for Zardari, pointed out that accused Hussain Lawai was handcuffed. However, on his pointation the handcuffs were removed in the courtroom. The court rejected bail plea of Lawai and another accused Taha Raza.
The court was informed that that accused Raheel Mubeen was suffering from brain haemorrhage and remained hospitalised in Karachi. The judge adjourned further proceedings of the case until May 30.
Talking to the media outside the court, Zardari said that the office of the NAB chairman did not allow him to give interviews. He said that if the NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal give interviews, he would take the matter to the court.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted interim to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) eighth inquiry related to illegal contracts.
A divisional bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani accepted the bail of the former president against surety bonds worth Rs200,000 and granted him bail till June 13.
During the course of proceeding, Zardari's counsel Farook H Naek adopted the stance that NAB has summoned his client on May 23, in an inquiry related to award of allegedly illegal contracts in Sindh and his client fears that the accountability watchdog might arrest him during interrogation.
He said Zardari is fully cooperating with NAB, which has not yet filed a reference against him in the above matter. He requested the court to stop the anti-graft body from arresting Zardari and grant an him an interim bail.
After hearing the arguments, the bench accepted Zardari’s pre-arrest bail plea and served notices to NAB. The IHC has already granted pre-arrest bail to the PPP supreme leader in seven other cases related to alleged money laundering through fake accounts.
Accountability court hearing
Meanwhile, Zardari and his sister, Faryal Talpur, appeared before the accountability court for the fifth time in fake bank accounts case, however, the charges in the case could not be framed because the copies of the reference were not distributed.
Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik said that the accused were appearing for the hearing and they should be given the copies of the reference. He warned of action against the investigating officer, if copies of the reference were not submitted in the court before the next hearing.
Other accused also were present in the court, however, two accused currently lodged in a Karachi jail, Abdul Ghani Majeed and Anwar Majeed were absent. The court also issued show-cause notice to the Sindh chief secretary and the superintendent the Karachi Prison for not producing the two accused.
At the outset of the hearing, Farooq H Naek, the counsel for Zardari, pointed out that accused Hussain Lawai was handcuffed. However, on his pointation the handcuffs were removed in the courtroom. The court rejected bail plea of Lawai and another accused Taha Raza.
The court was informed that that accused Raheel Mubeen was suffering from brain haemorrhage and remained hospitalised in Karachi. The judge adjourned further proceedings of the case until May 30.
Talking to the media outside the court, Zardari said that the office of the NAB chairman did not allow him to give interviews. He said that if the NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal give interviews, he would take the matter to the court.