Accountability court hears testimony in Pink Residency case

An accountability court on Friday heard testimony of a prosecution witness in Pink Residency reference, one of the ten references filed by the country’s top graft buster – the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) – in connection with a money laundering case.

Islamabad Accountability Court No-II Judge Azam Khan conducted the hearing. The first witness was a Zainul Abideen who was also cross examined by the lawyers of the accused. The NAB prosecutor then presented the second witness, Asif Sarki.

The defense lawyer Arshad Tabraiz, however, requested the court to hear the second testimony at the next hearing in view of paucity of time due to Friday prayers. The court asked the witness to reappear at the next hearing and adjourned the case till November 2.

The accountability court on October 7 indicted 17 accused in the case, including Omni Group's Abdul Ghani Majeed. The court also directed the prosecution to produce its evidence and witnesses.

During the course of proceedings, the judge had read out the charges against the accused. The accused, who were present in the court, had denied all allegations.

According to the NAB reference, the accused had been involved in the illegal regularization of two plots in Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of Karachi. One of the plots measured 23 acres, while the other was 7 acres.

The anti-graft body alleged that the financial transactions related to the illegally regularized plots were conducted through fake bank accounts. It claimed that the illegal land regularization and consequent sale of lands inflicted a loss of Rs4 billion to the national exchequer.

According to a progress report issued by NAB Rawalpindi office, the accountability watchdog has filed 10 different references in connection with the fake accounts scandal.

(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)