A banking court on Friday extended interim bail of former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur till January 7 in connection with an ongoing money laundering case. Asif Zardari and Faryal Talpur appeared before the banking court as their interim bails ended on Friday. PPP workers and senior party leaders including Rehman Malik and Khursheed Shah were also present in the premises of the court. Earlier in the day during a high-level party meeting, PPP decided to stage country-wide protests in case Zardari was arrested. Meanwhile, on Thursday, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf member Sindh Assembly Khurram Sherzaman had filed a disqualification petition with Election Commission of Pakistan in Karachi against Asif Ali Zardari for concealing his New York flat in nomination form of 2018 general elections. The plea had adopted stance that former president failed to declare his NY apartment in asset details submitted in ECP. Concealing the assets comes under Article 62 (1) (f) of Constitution according to plea. The petitioner had prayed to disqualify Zardari as he has not remained ‘sadiq’ and ‘ameen’. Published in Daily Times, December 22nd 2018.