Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday sought the record of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) appeals against former president Asif Ali Zardari’s acquittal.

A division bench, consisting of Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb, conducted the hearing, while NAB Prosecutor Jehanzeb Bharwana continued his arguments, pleading that the trial court ignored evidences in corruption references.

The anti-corruption watchdog has challenged the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman’s acquittal in polo ground and Ursus tractors cases. “The court had sought the required record on April 21, 2016. However, no record has been presented till today,” Bharwana told the court. “Asif Zardari was given a benefit of the NRO, which was later declared null and void by the Supreme Court. By that time, Zardari was the president. In 2014, his acquittal was challenged.”

According to Bharwana, an acquittal reference could not be entertained without recording the evidence. On this, Justice Minallah wondered why the accountability court heard the acquittal reference. The NAB prosecutor replied by saying that the accountability court maintained that to conduct the trial would be a waste of time. “Why the court made such a statement,” asked Justice Minallah again. On this, the prosecutor said it would be better if the cases’ record was summoned from the trial court.

The NAB prosecutor sought more time in the reference against Zardari, fixed by the court for hearing after three years, following which the IHC adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.

The court also sought details in Ursus tractors case against Zardari and adjourned it as well for an indefinite period. The NAB’s polo ground reference could not be heard on Thursday.