Bar Zardari from leaving Pakistan: Government issued SC notice

The notice was issued in relation to the Abbottabad operation which killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a notice to the federal government in relation to a request that called for barring President Asif Ali Zardari from leaving the country, Express News reported on Friday.

The notice was issued in relation to the Abbottabad operation by the United States (US) which killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011.

The notice was issued by a two-judge bench headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali. The next hearing is scheduled for September 3, just few days before Zardari completes his presidential tenure on September 8.

During the two hour operation, US helicopters and a C-130 aircraft hovered over the palatial mansion where Bin Laden was hiding before launching the assault.

Memogate whistle blower Mansoor Ijaz had accused President Zardari of asking former ambassador to the US Hussain Haqqani to write a memorandum, seeking Obama administration’s help to avert military takeover in the wake of Bin Laden’s killing.

Correction: In an earlier version of this story, it was incorrectly stated that the apex court has barred Zardari from leaving the country. The error is regretted.