ISLAMABAD - Islamabad Accountability Court (AC) has reserved judgement on a petition filed by former President Asif Ali Zardari seeking his acquittal in polo ground reference.
Judge Muhammad Bashir of AC Islamabad took up for hearing former President’s petition on Monday. Farooq H Naik, counsel for Asif Ali Zardari said his client is charged with issuing illegal verbal orders for construction of polo ground in Prime Minister House.
Investigation into polo ground reference was started in 1993 and it continued for three years. Reference was filed against the former President Asif Ali Zardari and 3 other accused in 2001. About 25 witnesses were included in the reference.
The preliminary investigation of this reference was conducted by FIA instead of NAB which was illegal, he said. Chaudhry Najabat Hussain, an FIA Sub-Inspector was appointed Investigation Officer, he added. He admitted that no letter regarding his appointment as an Investigation Officer is available. Najabat Hussain carried out inquiry on his own. What will be the credibility of this investigation, he said.
Naik further pleaded that there was contradiction in the statement of Investigation Officer on the matter of recording statements of witnesses.
He took the plea that Saeed Mehdi, who is prime accused in polo ground reference has been exonerated. NAB has not filed any appeal against the acquittal of Saeed Mehdi, he added.
Naik argued that when it was said about the prime accused that he had not committed any wrong act then there is left no room for trying the co-accused under this reference. NAB prosecution team should admit this thing, he said.
Counsel for NAB prayed the court that charge-sheet against former President Asif Ali Zardari has been prepared. Court is requested to indict the accused and provide opportunity to him to defend himself and the witnesses to appear before it, he said.
The court while reserving judgement in the case adjourned the hearing till March 6th.