Zardari challenges seizing of vehicles

Former president Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday filed a petition in an accountability court in Islamabad, challenging the top anti-graft body’s decision to seize three of his vehicles in the Toshakhana (gift depository) reference.

Judge Asghar Ali issued notices to the respondents and adjourned the hearing till September 24.

In his petition, the PPP co-chairman informed the court that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had decided to seize his two BMWs and a Lexus in connection with the case.

Last month, the accountability court had endorsed NAB’s decision to seize the vehicles.

The former president maintained that he was not notified about the decision to seize the vehicles. He argued that he had purchased the vehicles legally paying all duties on them. The PPP co-chairman described the decision to seize his vehicles as illegal. He also argued that it was not within the jurisdiction of the NAB DG Rawalpindi to make the decision.

Zardari and former premier Nawaz Sharif have been accused by NAB of illegally retaining expensive vehicles gifted to them by different foreign states and dignitaries instead of depositing them in the Toshakhana.

According to the anti-corruption body, Zardari and Sharif retained the vehicles “against a nominal payment of 15% of their total value” through “dishonest and illegal means for their personal benefit and interest”.

Earlier this month, the accountability court indicted Zardari and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in the Toshakhana case and also declared Sharif a proclaimed offender in the same matter.

The court also framed charges against Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son, Abdul Ghani Majeed.

Zardari, Gilani and the father and son duo of the Omni group pleaded not guilty to the charges. NAB has maintained that Gilani, during his tenure as the prime minister, facilitated the PPP co-chairman in retaining the vehicles.

Sharif was declared a proclaimed offender by the judge after his case was separated from that of the other suspects.

Separately, another accountability court in Islamabad has reserved its verdict on appeals filed former president Asif Ali Zardari in the mega money laundering, Park Lane and Thatta water supply scheme references.

The PPP leader’s lawyer Farooq H Naek argued that the NAB had not conducted an investigation into the issue of the Thatta water supply scheme and the anti-graft body’s chairman was not authorised to approve the filing of a supplementary reference. He added that his client had not even been served a call-up notice in the case so far.

The NAB prosecutor contended that there was nothing in the law preventing the filing of a supplementary reference.

He added that NAB had issued a notice to Zardari in connection with the water supply scheme in May last year and it had a copy of the document.

The prosecutor further said the former president did not respond to the notice.