Former president Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) the accountability court’s decision to reject his acquittal pleas in three corruption cases.
He pleaded the court to acquit him after quashing the mega money laundering, Park Lane and Thatta water supply supplementary references.
The PPP co-chairperson also requested the court to change the bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani in a case, which involved suspicious transactions amounting to Rs8 billion.
He adopted the stance that IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah should hear his bail petition in the case stating that the judge had also previously heard the Park Lane and mega money laundering references.
Meanwhile, an accountability court (AC) granted one-day exemption from appearance to the former president and other accused in Toshakhana corruption reference. AC-III Judge Syed Asghar Ali heard the case, which was filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani appeared before the court while Asif Zardari, Omni Group head Anwar Majeed and Abdul Ghani Majeed filed a request for exemption from hearing, which was accepted by the court.
At the outset of the hearing, the associate defence lawyer informed the court that senior counsel Farook H Naek was busy in Supreme Court Bar Association elections and prayed it to adjourn the case until next date.
However, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi opposed the request stating that the accused had been using delaying tactics to waste the court’s time. The witness’ father suffered heart attack but he still appeared before the court, he said.
He requested the court to issue arrest warrants against the accused over non-appearance and conduct hearing of the case on a daily basis. The court observed that the date had been given on the request of Naek and that it would issue arrest warrants against the accused if they failed to appear at next hearing on November 2.
Meanwhile, AC-I court adjourned the hearing of former president’s case regarding de-sealing of his Clifton residence in Karachi until November 23. The hearing was adjourned without further proceedings as judge Muhammad Bashir was on leave.
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