ISLAMABAD: Accountability Court returned Park Lane reference against Pakistan Peoples’ Party co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Judge Nasir Javed Rana heard plea in quashing court’s authority to hear plea against Asif Zardai and others alleged after 2022 amendment to NAB ordinance. Asif Zardari’s lawyer Farooq H.Naik said that reference against former President did not fall in jurisdiction of Accountability Court and cited Islamabad High Court’s verdict as an example.

NAB prosecutor contended that National Bank and private bank co-ventured project for which an amount of Rs 1.5 billion were take in loan which was later increased to Rs 2.8 billion. Court should determine authority to which court responded by returning reference to NAB. Islamabad High Court ruled recently in Adam Amin Chaudhry’s case that reference could not be taken back, cases only to be transferred to other relevant courts, judge remarked.

“High court’s decision not relevant to this case, it is only applicable to case of amnesty scheme and tax,” Zardari’s lawyer argued. NAB Prosecutor Usman Masood opposed acquittal plea and said that 1.5 billion amount was borrowed in this case, which later increased to an amount of 2.8 billion. Prosecutor pleaded court to decide jurisdiction in case.  PPP co-Chairman Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and other accused are facing charges of corruption through fake bank accounts and embezzlement in financial facility for Park Lane Private Limited and Parthenon (Pvt) Limited.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 26 2023

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