Daily Times

Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday didn’t appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi in the ongoing investigation into the fake bank accounts case on the pretext of busy schedule.

The former president wrote a letter to the NAB, stating that he could not appear due to busy schedule, and asked the watchdog to manage another date for him.

The bureau had summoned him in an inquiry pertaining to illegal allotment of land by Sindh government and misuse of powers.

Sources, however, said Zardari decided not to appear before NAB on the advice of his legal team. Sources said he fled to Karachi despite NAB having summoned him to appear in Islamabad office on May 23.

On May 15, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had granted bails to Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur in all cases against them.

Earlier on May 9, the NAB had summoned Zardari to record his statement in the same case. However, he excused himself from appearing before the combined investigation team (CIT) of the NAB Rawalpindi, seeking another date on the ground that he was scheduled to appear before the accountability court on the same date.

The NAB has already filed references in cases against him related to money laundering through fake bank accounts, Pink Residency and illegal award of water supply schemes.

On April 13, Zardari had submitted his written response to NAB Rawalpindi on 54 questions in connection with three cases against him, including Park Lane Estate, Pink Residency and money laundering through fake accounts.

Earlier, the case was being heard in a banking court in Karachi but had been shifted to an accountability court in Islamabad upon an appeal by the NAB.

Meanwhile, the NAB has summoned PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on May 29 to record his statement in the money laundering case, a private TV channel reported.

Bilawal has already been summoned by the anti-graft body in the Park Lane case on Friday (today). A day earlier, reports emerged that Bilawal had refused to receive the NAB notice delivered at his Karachi residency.

Bilawal and former president Asif Ali Zardari had earlier appeared before the NAB to record their statements. A press release by NAB had said Bilawal and Zardari were questioned by the CIT under the supervision of DG NAB Rawalpindi Irfan Mangi for approximately two hours in three cases.

The FIA is investigating 32 people, including Zardari and Talpur, in relation to money laundering from fictitious accounts. Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July last year in connection with the probe. The former president’s close aide and Omni Group Chairman Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani were arrested by FIA in August 2018.

Over 20 ‘benami’ accounts at some private banks were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were made, according to reports. The amount, according to FIA, is said to be black money gathered from various kickbacks, commissions and bribes.