Former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister, Faryal Talpur, on Monday appeared before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and record their statements in a money laundering case.
FIA Additional Director General Najaf Mirza, who chaired a meeting at the agency's Islamabad office earlier today, probed Zardari and Talpur.
According to the sources, the former president and his sister were questioned for around 35 minutes. Zardari avoided answering some questions, sources added.
While speaking to the media after his questioning, Zardari said, "Unfortunately the money laundering case was formed against him during former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's tenure."
Earlier, on Saturday, FIA has issued notices to the former president and his sister to appear at the agency’s headquarters in Islamabad. This is the fourth time the agency has summoned the former president and his sister in connection to a multi-billion money laundering scam.
Zardari's lawyer Farooq Naek has denied that FIA's case includes money laundering charges.
Moreover, FIA has to submit a report in the Supreme Court regarding the ongoing probe on Tuesday.
Prior to this, on August 17, a local banking court in Karachi had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Zardari and other absconding suspects in the ongoing probe.
However, on August 18, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) approved the former president's petition for protective bail in the case.
It is worth mentioning here that the FIA is investigating 32 people in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts, including Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur. Zardari's close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested last month in connection with the probe.
Over 20 'fake' accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to sources. The amount, according to FIA sources, is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.