Accountability court on Thursday has approved exemption from the hearing plea of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari in Thatta water supply reference.

During the proceedings, the testimony of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) witness Ali Raza was recorded while the court has also rejected the petition filed by co-accused to defer the hearing.

Earlier on October 5, the NAB court had indicted Asif Ali Zardari in Thatta water supply case via video link.

In December 2019, former president Asif Ali Zardari was released on medical grounds after an accountability court in Islamabad issued separate robkars [mandamuses] in the money laundering through fake bank accounts cases against him.

The charges in the latest case centre around allegations Zardari laundered vast sums of money through suspect bank accounts and companies.

NAB is conducting investigations in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the money laundering of billions through fake accounts case wherein it forwarded the joint investigation team (JIT) report with directions to investigate and file references.
Zardari has repeatedly dismissed allegations he had a hand in the scheme.