NAB given last chance to present arguments in appeals against Zardari

IHC says decision would be made on available record in case of failure

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High (IHC) on Monday handed last chance to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to give arguments on its own appeals against the acquittal of former president Asif Ali Zardari in the Ursus tractor and ARY Gold references.

A division bench of the IHC comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamir Farooq observed that the court would decide the matter on the available record if the anti-graft watchdog failed to present arguments in the next hearing.

On Monday, NAB sought a month’s time to prepare for proceedings to present arguments on its own appeals.

The IHC CJ asked the national graft buster prosecutor how much more time they required, observing that the appeals had been filed in 2014.

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He reminded that NAB had sought adjournment several times in the past and asked who would give arguments on these appeals, to which, the court was told that NAB Additional Prosecutor General Jahanzeb Bharwana would be available for this purpose.

The IHC granted two weeks’ time to NAB saying it would decide the matter on the available record if the anti-corruption watchdog failed to present arguments on its own appeals and adjourned the hearing of the case till December 9.

Earlier, Islamabad accountability court’s judge Muhammad Bashir had approved the bail pleas before the completion of the trial and acquitted Zardari in both the references against which NAB had filed appeals in 2014.

The anti-corruption body had accused former president of receiving kickbacks in the ARY Gold reference and being involved in corruption in the public tractor scheme.