——- President moves Court seeking Presidential immunity in NAB reference
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari filed on Thursday an application in an accountability court seeking presidential immunity in the Thatta water supply reference.
During the hearing of the case, the president’s counsel submitted the application and stated that the same has also been attained in other cases and the current case can not proceed.
The court issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the case and adjourned the hearing till April 22. The other accused in the case include former secretary Ejaz Ahmed Khan, Ali Akbar, Ejaz Memon, Ali Akbar Abro, Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, Manahal Majeed, Abdul Nadeem Bhutto and others.
The water supply reference pertains to an alleged illegal award of a contract for the water supply scheme in Thatta to a private contractor.
In January 2023, an accountability court sent back a corruption reference against Zardari after amendments to the NAB law.
Earlier, Zardari also secured presidential immunity in the Park Lane reference case.
Accountability court Judge Nasir Javed Rana presided over the proceedings and heard the Park Lane reference against the president and others.
Zardari’s lawyer Farooq H. Naik emphasised that President Zardari’s status as the country’s elected head granted him immunity from legal action, thus rendering the continuation of the case against him untenable.
NAB prosecutor contended that this case pertains to a private bank. It will first need to be determined whether this court can even hear it, as per the existing laws. Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing until April 17.
The main reference in the Park Lane case accused Zardari of influencing relevant authorities during his tenure as the president – from 2008 to 2013 – to obtain loans for his front companies.
Zardari allegedly received a loan of Rs1.5 billion released for Parthenon Private Limited “with ill intention”, and the money was later transferred for his personal use through fake bank accounts. NAB accused him of causing the national exchequer a loss of Rs3.77 billion.
The anti-graft body later filed a supplementary reference against Zardari in the Park Lane case, accusing him of using fake documents to acquire a bank loan for a dummy corporation.
Earlier, President Asif Ali Zardari’s legal counsel told an accountability court on Tuesday that his client, who was recently elected to the post, was entitled to presidential immunity.
Farooq H. Naik argued that the immunity shields President Zardari from further proceedings in the Park Lane reference case. Accountability court Judge Nasir Javed Rana presided over the proceedings and heard the Park Lane reference against President Zardari and others. Farooq H. Naik represented President Zardari during the session.
