Former president Asif Ali Zardari. PHOTO: AFP
Zardari had earlier missed three hearings, citing security threats.
Former interior minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Rehman Malik confirmed that Zardari arrived in the city.
“We [PPP] have always faced victimisation,” he said, adding that the party will stand and face any charges against them.
“Jails and handcuffs are not a big deal for the people’s party,” Malik stated.
Malik said they will wait and see if the court decides to call Zardari alone or chooses to hear from others as well.
The court had earlier decided to indict Zardari on December 9 in four graft references out of five pending against him.
In October, the Sindh High Court (SHC) had permitted Zardari to use bullet-proof vehicles with tinted glasses and to keep his private security at his “own expense” owing to the threats to his life from militants. His lawyers Naek and Shazia Hanjrah had said that the top political leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was receiving threats to their lives from extremists, particularly since the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
References reopened
Just as the chief graft buster Qamar Zaman Chaudhry had assumed charge on October 11, an accountability court in Islamabad had reopened five references against Zardari and summoned him before the court.
The court notice had stated that Zardari’s immunity to trial ended with him stepping down from the presidency.
Cases against Zardari
• Polo ground case – One pending reference surrounds the illegal construction of the polo ground and other ancillary works at the Prime Minister House, which are in violation of rules and procedure. In this case, the court had acquitted Saeed Mehdi, while the case against Shafi Sehwani, the former chairman of Capital Development Authority, was withdrawn following his death.
• SGS – In July 2011, pronouncing its verdict in the 13-year-old graft case commonly known as the SGS reference, an accountability court absolved all the accused, except Zardari.
In the SGS reference filed in 1997, it was alleged that then prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her spouse had received kickbacks in a pre-shipment contract between the government and SGS.
• ARY case – Grant of licences to ARY Traders for import of gold and silver caused losses to the public exchequer, amounting to approximately Rs18.2 million.
• Ursus tractors deal – Another reference, which pertains to Ursus tractors deal, deals with alleged misappropriation in the purchase of 5,900 Russian and Polish tractors at a cost of Rs150,000 each, for the then Awami Tractor Scheme.
The court had earlier had acquitted the co-accused Nawab Yousuf Talpur and AH Kango in the case. The Ursus tractors purchase deal allegedly caused a loss of Rs268.3 million to the ADBP and Rs1.67 billion to the State Bank.
• Cotecna – This case involved an allegedly corrupt award for a contract for supervising pre-shipment at the Karachi port.
The contract was awarded to the Swiss company Cotecna in exchange for a bribe during former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s second term. Benazir Bhutto and her husband were accused of taking a 6% bribe on the revenue stream the Swiss company expected on the $131 million contract.
COMMENTS (18)
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Wow, a country is truely seriously unbelievably messed up when its people start praising the most corrupt leaders (Zardari is #1 in that category), who delivered nothing to the people except politics (Zardari is again #1 in that category), and who are cheaters and liars (yes, Zardari is #1 again). Did Zardari's politics feed the hungry, develop the economy, lift the education levels, lower poverty, bring foreign investments, and provide security to Pakistan? A big fat NO. Musharraf did but he was no politician and that's why some of you here are fans of Zardari and hate Musharraf. Pakistan is seriously doomed, sadly.
Hats off to Zardari, I often disagreed his policies but today he gained my respect. A dictator President is trying to run away from Judiciary and he is trying to use Military institution, political parties like MQM and Journalists to save his skin but a democratic President is ready to submit before courts. Salute Democracy! No to Dictators and their supporters.
Perhaps some day Musharraf and his rogue goons learn something from Zardari so that everyone is the same in the eyes of Law! But the trolls of dictator Mush are still in the habit of dictating their own law!
@Ch. Allah Daad: Dear Ch. I am seeing you for the first time commending Zardari, a true and brave politician of the day. Thanks.
@Fazal: Thank you Fazal.
@Ch. Allah Daad: You are showing your true colors by praising the most corrupt politician in Pakistan's history, who is popularly known as Mr. 10%, who milked the country of millions of rupees (make that billions), and you have the gall to compare him to president Musharraf who is well known as honest and who despite having left the gov't 6 years ago does not have a single corruption case against him. Zardari is your choice so I guess the saying is true - it takes one to understand one.
Such are the leaders of Pakistan.
What a resume of a President.
Topi drama,we soon he will be declared innocent
Mr. Zardari is a brave person. He will not hide like Musharaf.
Good that upper class people are facing the music! However, we all know that these are sham trials since all the upper class people are in favour of one another, despite creating facades such as this one. Thank you.