‘Poor health’: Zardari misses hearing

RAWALPINDI:

Former president Asif Ali Zardari failed to appear in court citing health reasons on Tuesday. The co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party was supposed to appear at the accountability court in a case involving concealment of assets.

Zardari’s counsel Farooq H Naek appeared before Judge Khalid Mehmood Ranjha and requested to exempt his client from appearance.

“My client was ready to appear before the court but suddenly his condition deteriorated at night due to which he is unable to appear before the court,” he said.

The judge accepted the request and adjourned the case till May 13, asking Naek to ensure Zardari’s appearance on the next hearing. Zardari is facing trial for not declaring his assets.

An official of the court told The Express Tribune that slain premier Benazir Bhutto and Zardari were main suspects in the case but the former PM’s name from the case was removed after her assassination.

Talking to the media outside the court, Naek said all cases against Zardari were malafide and he would appear at the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2015.