Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad accountability court on Thursday began recording statements of witnesses in the Toshakhana case filed against former president Asif Ali Zardari, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and others by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
As Accountability Judge Syed Asghar Ali resumed hearing, the PPP co-chairman through his lawyer Farooq H Naek moved an application seeking exemption from personal appearance in today’s proceedings. Ex-PM Yousuf Raza Gillani appeared in court.
Farooq H Naek said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has presented a witness without notifying the defence side and requested the court to record the deposition today but allow him to cross-examine the witness at the next hearing.
The NAB prosecutor, however, objected to the defence counsel’s plea insisting that the witness be cross-examined on the same date and requested the court to hear the case on a daily basis.
Witness Imran Zafar, a former deputy director of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), recorded his statement saying he received a letter from the corruption watchdog on February 7, 2019, which sought details about the assets of Zardari and the nomination paper he had filed in 2008.
The court granted ex-PM Gillani exemption from personal appearance at next hearing. The hearing was adjourned until October 1.
