ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will today resume hearing in a petition moved by PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur seeking bail in the fake bank accounts case. A division bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani will conduct hearing of the petitions moved by the leaders.
In this matter, the anti-corruption watchdog had already submitted its reply opposing bail to the former president. In its reply to the high court, NAB stated the reasons for its opposition to bail to Zardari saying that it was taking action against Zardari within legal boundaries and investigation was underway against the former president in accordance with NAB ordinance. Previously, the IHC had extended Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur’s interim bails till April 29, and directed the NAB to furnish details of ongoing and pending inquiries against the PPP leader.
In its reply submitted to the court, the NAB said that Zardari in connivance with former prime minister and fellow party leader Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, illegally obtained three luxury bullet-proof cars, two BMWs and one Toyota Lexus from the Toshakhana (the state gift repository), which were gifted by the governments of UAE and Libya. It further said that Zardari paid Rs37.16 million as duty/tax on the said vehicles through cheques issued from the fake accounts in question. It added, “All the proceedings were taken in accordance with law and there is absolutely no violation of fundamental rights of petitioner, he had been given complete opportunity vide call up notice to clarify allegations levelled against him.”
A total of five applications were filed by the PPP leaders’ counsel team – four by Zardari and one by Talpur. The petitions sought pre-arrest bail to pre-empt any attempt by the NAB to take them into custody. The IHC granted bail against surety bonds of Rs1 million each per each application. In their petitions, they prayed to the court to restrain the bureau from arresting them. In the identical petitions, the former president stated that NAB had served a call-up notice on him to appear on March 20 before a combined investigation team to record his statement with respect to investigation into fake bank accounts.