By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Two former presidents of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) on Wednesday have become approvers in Park Lane reference against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. According to details, Syed Ali Raza and Syed Qamar Hussian have been pardoned by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal over their testimonies.
On the other hand, during the hearing on a plea seeking dismissal of Park Lane reference against Asif Ali Zardari, NAB has submitted a pay order of transferring money into bank accounts of rickshaw owner and faloda seller. The anti-graft watchdog said that Rs20 crore was transferred to rickshaw owner account with name of Dream Trading while another Rs20 crore was sent into the account of faloda seller with the name of Ocean Enterprises.
Both rickshaw owner and faloda seller have already appeared before the court for testimonies. In December 2019, former president Asif Ali Zardari was released on medical grounds after an accountability court in Islamabad issued separate robkars mandamuses in the Park Lane Estate Company and the money laundering through fake bank accounts cases against him. The charges in the latest case centre around allegations Zardari laundered vast sums of money through suspect bank accounts and companies. NAB is conducting investigations in pursuance of the SC’s verdict in the money laundering of billions through fake accounts case wherein it forwarded the joint investigation team (JIT) report with directions to investigate and file references.
