Assets reference case against Zardari reopened in Rawalpindi court

Rawalpindi Accountability Court summons former president on April 27

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Accountability Court summoned on Friday former president Asif Ali Zardari on April 27 in a reference which accused him and his slain wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, of acquiring assets illegally, Express News reported.

Nationality Accountability Bureau's Special Prosecutor Raja Khurram Ejaz asked the court to reopen the asset reference after five years, claiming that Zardari's presidential immunity has expired and he can be tried in the court. In 2010, the reference against the former president was closed by the authorities.

In 2014, the Islamabad accountability court had acquitted Zardari in three corruption references filed by NAB 17 years ago.

Read: Accountability courts dispose of most high-profile corruption cases

Zardari is still facing two references — SGS and Contecna — and on December 22 last year, the court had rejected his acquittal plea and the cases have been fixed for January 8 for further hearing.