By Shakeel Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court has decided to indict former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in Park Lane case today (Monday).
The court has decided to frame charges against Asif Ali Zardari via video link at the hospital or his residence in case of his ill health. Registrar of the accountability court has written a letter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Karachi for finalising arrangements for Asif Zardari’s indictment.
The court has directed Karachi NAB to ensure presence of the PPP leader on the video link at his home or hospital in case of his ill health. The court has also directed NAB to ensure presence of other accused along with Zardari and take all necessary steps for their indictment. The court in its letter said that the Karachi NAB should make arrangements for indictment of Anwar Majeed, Farooq Abdullah and other accused.
The court also directed Karachi NAB to nominate its representatives for identification of the accused adding that charges will be framed against all accused on July 6 at 9:30 in the morning.
In an earlier hearing, the court had deferred indictment of Asif Ali Zardari in Park Lane case. Zardari’s counsel had submitted an application seeking exemption of his client from the court appearance due to ailment and the COVID-19 situation in the country. The court had accepted exemption pleas of Asif Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur in money laundering and Park Lane case and postponed the proceedings till July 17.
Director General (DG) National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Sindh Najaf Mirza has constituted three prosecution teams for a video link indictment in the Park Lane case, ARY NEWS reported on Sunday. Former President and PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari, Anwar Majeed, and others will be indicted in the Park Lane case on July 06.
Registrar of the accountability court has written a letter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi for finalization of arrangements for Zardari’s indictment. The court has directed NAB Karachi to ensure the presence of the PPP leader on the video link at his home or hospital in case of his ill health. Following the court orders, a prosecution team led by Shahbaz Sahotra is deputed at Bilawal House to ensure the presence of Asif Zardari on the video link for his indictment in the case.
A prosecution team led by Sohail Khan will make arrangements for the indictment of Anwar Majeed at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD).
A third prosecution team headed by Raja Muhammad Ali will be deputed at the Accountability Court in Karachi. An administrative judge of the NAB courts in Karachi was apprised of the orders conveyed by the Accountability Court in Islamabad.
The administrative judge has also appointed court officials to ensure smooth proceedings of indictment on video-link. Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and other accused face charges of corruption through fake bank accounts and embezzlement in the financial facility for Park Lane Private Limited and Parthenon (Pvt) Limited.
According to the anti-graft watchdog, Asif Ali Zardari was allegedly running a fake front company by the name of Parathon as a shareholder in Park Lane properties. A loan worth Rs 1.5 billion was taken from a bank and transferred to the company’s account in a private bank.
