Daily Times

An accountability court on Monday approved the petition filed by Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, daughter of former president Asif Ali Zardari, to meet her father on today (Tuesday).

Judge Muhammad Bashir presided over the hearing of Aseefa Bhutto Zardari’s petition. The petition stated that Aseefa should be allowed to meet her father who is currently in custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on physical remand in the fake bank accounts case.

The court approved the meeting and remarked that the investigating office can let her meet him on August 6 if he wants. However, the court rejected the appeal for a meeting on August 8 stating that Asif Ali Zardari is due to appear before court on August 8. On June 10, Asif Ali Zardari had surrendered himself to a team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) after Islamabad High Court (IHC) rejected his and his sister Faryal Talpur’s pre-arrest bail plea in the money laundering case. Following the refusal of bail, a team of anti-corruption watchdog accompanied by police personnel had reached the residence of PPP co-chairman and arrested him. Asif Zardari was taken to NAB office in Rawalpindi where he was shifted to Cell No 2.

Meanwhile, an accountability court on Monday ordered to arrest Salman Shehbaz, son of Shehbaz Sharif, after National Accountability Bureau (NAB) asked the court to seize the properties of the accused.

The court issued non-bailable arrest warrants of Salman Shehbaz and ordered police to produce him before the court on August 10.

The court issued order on the request of NAB prosecutor Hafiz Asadullah. Salman has been summoned 10 times in money laundering case, however he did not appear before the court.

AC also issues non-bailable warrants for Salman Shehbaz’s arrest

NAB said Salman did not join the investigation and Chairman has already issued his arrest warrants. NAB further asked the court to issue property seizer orders as Salman is absconder in money laundering case.

Separately, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Mashood on Monday once against excused himself from appearing before the NAB in the case of alleged corruption in Punjab Sports Festival.

As per details, Mashood through his lawyer excused himself from appearing before the accountability bureau on August 6, owing to his personal engagements.

In his application, the PML-N leader stated that he has already recorded his statement in the case and cannot appear before the NAB tomorrow, however, he can appear on August 8. On July 8, the anti-corruption body had summoned details of Mashood’s bank accounts, assets details from the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and other concerned departments.

The details of the vehicles being owned by the PML-N leader were also sought from the Excise department of Punjab. The National Accountability Bureau had launched a probe into alleged misappropriation of millions of rupees of the Punjab Youth Festival in 2011 and 2012 which involves Mashood. Earlier, on June 21, the bureau had arrested former DG Sports Board Punjab Usman Anwer in the case.

He has been accused of violating the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules in awarding contracts worth millions of rupees.