Court rejects Zardari’s pleas for dismissal of three corruption cases

An Accountability Court (AC) ordered on Wednesday for former president Asif Zardari to be indicted in three corruption cases after dismissing his acquittal pleas against the references.

The three references included the Park Lane case, the mega-money laundering and Harish & Company [fake accounts] case. The reserved verdict was announced by AC Judge Azam Khan.

Furthermore, the court has summoned all the accused, including the former president, on September 28.

IHC extends interim bail

In the fake bank accounts case, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) extended the former president’s interim bail till October 15, and directed the National Accountability Bureau to submit a reply again.

The bail application was heard by a two-member special bench comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani.

The court approved the former president's request for exemption from attendance. It asked Zardari's lawyer, Farooq H Naek, about the difference in this case as the court had already granted post-arrest bail to his client.

To this, his counsel replied that the case was different as the notice for it came on May 2019.

The NAB prosecutor informed the court that this case was now at the investigation stage; it was previously in the inquiry stage. “We will give arguments on merit in this case. Asif Zardari's arrest warrant is in process,” he added.

Justice Amir Farooq ordered NAB to file a reply in the next hearing.