-Accountability Court issues a non-bailable warrant for the arrest of Ex-PM Nawaz
-Court also indicts four accused including ex-President Zardari & ex-Premier Gillani
By Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been declared ‘proclaimed offender’ in Toshakhana reference on Wednesday by an accountability court in Islamabad besides indicting four accused persons including former president Asif Ali Zardari and former premier Yousaf Raza Gillani.
The accountability court conducted the hearing of Toshakhana reference today against prominent political personalities including Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif over allegedly obtaining luxury vehicles from the treasury by paying 15 per cent of the actual price, whereas, the former premier Yousaf Raza Gillani had allegedly facilitated the allotment of the cars to both of them. Former president and Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and ex-premier Yousaf Raza Gillani appeared in the hearing conducted by the accountability court’s judge Asghar Ali.
During the hearing, the judge declared Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif a proclaimed offender in the case and sought details of his movable and immovable assets within a week.
Moreover, the accountability court also issued a non-bailable warrant for the arrest of the former premier Nawaz Sharif. Judge Asghar Ali remarked that the court will indict other accused persons in Toshakhana reference after separating the case related to Nawaz Sharif.
However, the accused persons have denied the charges in the courtroom.
Yousaf Raza Gillani appeared at the rostrum and said that he has never violated the rules and regulations while approving the summary. He argued that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed the reference without considering rules of business. The judge remarked that merits are not being debated in the hearing regarding the summary and it will be questioned during the trial.
Later, Asif Ali Zardari signed surety bonds after being indicted in the Toshakhana reference. The accountability court summoned three witnesses including Waqarul Hassan Shah, Zubair Siddiqui and Imran Zafar on September 24 and adjourned the hearing.
Earlier, the anti-corruption watchdog presented a probe report regarding Nawaz Sharif in Toshakhana reference before the court today. The report stated that Nawaz Sharif was fully aware of his expected arrest which led him to file a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for challenging to advertise a summon issued by the accountability court.
