A day after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) summoned him in connection with illegal award of water supply contract of the Sindh government to private firms, former president Asif Ali Zardari approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) requesting bail to avoid his possible arrest by the corruption watchdog.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman moved a bail petition requesting the court to grant him bail in the case and direct the bureau to provide details of all the cases it has been investigating against him.

After hearing initial arguments, an IHC bench approved the interim bail of Zardari until May 15 against a surety of Rs500,000.

Zardari through his lawyer stated before the court that he is being subjected to political victimization, adding he has been issued another call-up notice by the bureau. He pleaded with the court to grant him bail until conclusion of trial against him in the case and direct NAB to provide details of all the cases being probed by it against him.

The federal government, NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, and the bureau’s deputy director Muhammad Kamran have been named respondents in the petition.

Earlier, on May 7, the Combined Investigation Team of NAB had summoned former president Asif Ali Zardari to appear on May 9 (tomorrow) for questioning in connection with illegal award of water supply contract of the Sindh government to private companies.

This will be the second appearance of the PPP co-chairman before the NAB investigation team in the fake accounts cases.