Zardari remanded in NAB custody also Park Lane case

Court orders accountability watchdog to present former president on July 15

 ISLAMABAD  : An accountability court has remanded Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari in the top graft buster’s custody for 13 days in connection with the Park Lane Company case.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials on Tuesday presented the former president before Islamabad’s Accountability Court II Judge Arshad Malik on completion of his 11-day remand in a money laundering case.

NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Muzaffar Abbasi told the court that the accountability watchdog had made significant progress in its probe with regard to the Park Lane case.

He said NAB Chairman Javed Iqbal on April 2 issued arrest warrants for the PPP’s supreme leader and Zardari was also arrested in connection with the Park Lane case on Monday.

PPP leader’s counsel Farooq H Naek objected to NAB’s move and said NAB should tell the court in how many case it intends to book the former president. He said NAB has already issued for 4-5 call-up notices. “No accused can be placed in eternal remand in one case after another,” he said.

The judge asked NAB how many cases it wanted to lodge against Zardari. NAB deputy prosecutor general said it was not possible to tell in advance how many cases would be lodged against an accused as such decisions are taken in light of investigation.

NAB later requested the court to remand Zardari in its custody for 14 days. However, the court limited the remand period to 13 days and asked the accountability body to present the PPP leader on July 15.