ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday directed former president Asif Ali Zardari to appear in person, on Wednesday (today) in his interim bail petition of a NAB inquiry pertaining to his apartment in New York City. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamer Farooq heard the pre arrest bail case of former president filed through his counsel Farook H Naek. At the outset of hearing, Farook H Naek pleaded that former president couldn’t appear before court due to health problems and prayed the court to grant him bail in NAB inquiry in his absence. He said that he had also filed an application seeking exemption from hearing for his client. Asif Ali Zardari was under treatment in hospital, he contended. He, however, said that the former president would appear before court if it summoned him in person. Justice Farooq remarked that it was necessary for anyone to appear before court to get interim bail under the law. Chief Justice remarked that it could be set as precedent for others if the court granted bail to Asif Zardari in his absence. To this, Naek prayed the court to grant his client a protective bail so he could appear before the bench.
The chief justice remarked that the petitioner could approach Sindh High Court for protective bail.
The bench, however, instructed the former president to appear in person on Wednesday and adjourned the case.
The petition said that the NAB had served a call up notice to former president on June 15, regarding an inquiry pertaining to apartment at Belaire, 524 East 72nd Street, 37-F Manhattan NYC. The NAB had sent a questionnaire and sought detailed answers till June 24.
The petition said that there was a risk of arrest of former president Asif Ali Zardari like past and prayed the court to turn down the call up notice besides granting an interim bail to the petitioner till the final decision of the case.