Fake accounts case: accused’s pleas to turn approvers not yet approved

NAB apprises court that proceedings are ongoing on their requests

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court has been informed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) that the pleas of the three accused – Kiran Aman, Noreen Sultan and Aqeel Shah Rashidi –to turn approvers in the fake accounts case have not been accepted yet.

Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik heard the fake accounts case on Friday.

Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, who is NAB custody on a 10-day physical remand, was present. Sindh lawmaker Faryal Talpur’s request for exemption from hearing was accepted.

During the hearing, NAB investigation officer apprised the court that proceedings on the pleas of the three accused for turning approvers were ongoing.

“The interior ministry has been contacted for the issuance of red warrants of two accused Nasir Abdullah and Azam Wazir,” said the investigation officer.

The court expressed annoyance over non-issuance of a show-cause notice to Sindh chief secretary for not producing accused Abdul Ghani Majeed from the Malir Jail, Karachi during the hearing.

Justice Malik remarked, “The Sindh chief secretary did not even have the decency to appear before the court or reply. I will conduct an inquiry against him.”

The lawyers for the accused said, “First check if the notice has been sent and received.”

The court staff replied that the first notice had been sent to the chief secretary, while the show-cause notice had not yet been sent from the office.

The judge remarked, “Twenty days have passed since the notice was issued and they have not yet received it?”

Further, the lawyers objected over non-provision of the copies of the reference to them.

They said, “The accused are in custody, but the allegations are not being revealed. They do not know up till now what the allegations are?”

The investigation officer said that the copies of the reference had been submitted with the Registrar Office. The court ordered to provide the copies to the accused.

Court postponed the hearing till June 27.

Zardari files petition in IHC

The legal counsels of former president Zardari have filed a petition with the Islamabad High Court (IHC), requesting it to allow them to represent their client in personal capacity for the Park Lane reference linked with the fake bank accounts case.

Zardari’s counsel Farooq H Naik submitted the petition in IHC, stating that the hearing of the bail plea in the Park Lane reference is scheduled for June 17.

The petition requested the court to order NAB to present Zardari for hearing on June 17.

The petition stated that in order to comply with the demands of justice and to know about his health, Zardari’s presence in court was necessary.

In an informal conversation in the court room, Zardari advised Prime Minister Imran Khan “to resign and go home”.

“If Imran Khan does not want to constitute a commission since 1947, he should at least consider making a commission for the past 20 years. If he does not want to expose the old bigwigs, then he should at least begin from the era of Pervez Musharraf,” said Zardari. “Imran Khan says whatever comes to his mind. He had earlier even said that he would shoot himself before entering politics. Then he claimed he would prefer committing suicide before going to the IMF.”

He raised questions over Imran’s claim that the country had stabilised.

“Have salaries of the people increased? During my time, everyone’s salaries used to increase. Everyone was happy,” said Zardari.

To a question, he said, “The approval of the budget depends on [BNP-M chief] Akhtar Mengal … where he sits.”

At the end of the hearing, the former president lit a cigarette while Ruksana Bangash brought a sandwich for him.

Strict security arrangements were in place for the hearing, while nearby roads were closed for traffic.