Zardari to be indicted on March 25 in Park Lane reference

NAB prosecutor requests court to indict Majeed through video link

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad will indict former president Asif Ali Zardari and other accused in Park Lane reference on March 25.
As Judge Azam Khan of the accountability court resumed proceedings of the case on Tuesday, Zardari’s counsel submitted an application seeking exemption of his client from personal attendance due to his ailment.

Approving the request, the court inquired about Anwar Majeed – another suspect in the case.

The National Accountability Court (NAB) prosecutor told the court that an amount of Rs2 million has been requested for moving the accused from Karachi to Islamabad through air ambulance.

He said Majeed was under arrest and requested the court to indict him through video link.

The court directed NAB prosecutor to submit an application in this regard.

The accused counsel argued that acquiring statement through video link would not be easy as the federal government will first have to write to the provincial government.

Inquiring how the matter would be given legal cover, the judge asked whether a court representative would be sent to record the suspect’s statement through video link.

Counsel Farooq H Naek said the court registrar could be sent for the purpose.

The court announced to indict the accused in Park Lane reference on March 25 and adjourned the hearing of the case.

Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other accused face charges of corruption through fake bank accounts and embezzlement in the financial facility for Park Lane Private Limited and Parthenon (Pvt) Limited.

NAB has alleged that the national exchequer suffered a loss of Rs3.77 billion because of the irregularities.

Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan's records indicate that Zardari and Bilawal are 50% shareholders of Park Lane – a real estate firm.

As per the prosecution, the Park Lane case is being investigated under different sections of NAO 1999 and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010 for Zardari's alleged involvement "in extending loan and its misappropriation by M/S Parthenon Private Limited, M/S Park Lane Estate Private Limited and others".