ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued a stay order against the indictment of former president Asif Ali Zardari in a reference pertaining to a suspicious transaction of Rs 8 billion. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamer Farooq issued the order on a petition filed by the legal team of ex-president. Petitioner’s lawyer Farooq H. Naek pleaded that the trial court had fixed October 28, a date to indict his client. He argued, their petition in IHC would become ineffective if the accountability court frames charges against accused on next hearing.
He prayed the court to issue a stay order against the trial court’s decision dated October 14, regarding the indictment. After listening arguments, the court issued stay orders and sought comments from National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the plea till November 4. It may be mentioned here that the former president had challenged the decision of accountability court for dismissing his acquittal plea in above reference. However, the trial court had fixed the hearing of the reference on Thursday (Today) to frame charges against the accused.
The reference said, during the investigation, it transpired that Rs150 m were paid from the joint account to one Ahmed Abdul Bari to purchase House No F-32, Block 4, Clifton, Karachi. The house was later transferred in the name of Zardari. It further said the ex-president had mentioned Rs 53 million as value of the house in his nomination papers submitted to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).