Daily Times

An accountability court on Friday extended until October 22 the judicial remand of former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, chief suspects in the fake accounts case.

Accountability judge Mohammad Bashir, who was hearing the case, adjourned the hearing of the case without making any substantial progress after it was informed that copies of the reference had not yet been provided to all 30 of the suspects nominated.

The judge said the court would start the indictment process once all the accused had a copy of the reference filed against them by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The investigation officer of the case told judge Bashir that the anti-corruption watchdog had asked the Interior Ministry to issue red warrants for Younis Qadwai and Azam Wazir, both of whom are nominated in the case and are currently abroad.

He said a supplementary reference would be filed by the next hearing. He further said that the supplementary reference was yet to be approved by the NAB chief. The hearing was subsequently adjourned until October 22.

Judge Bashir remarked that a course of action should be determined to avoid delay in proceedings. NAB Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar argued that a procedure was determined earlier as well, to with the judge replied that the number of suspects has now surged to 30 from 2.

The case pertains to a massive money laundering scam that was being probed by the Federal Investigation Agency. The suspects include Zardari, Talpur, former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairman Hussain Lawai, Omni Group CEO Anwar Majeed and his sons and several other high profile persons. The case was later taken over by NAB on the Supreme Court’s orders.

While in court, the former president also met his daughters, Aseefa and Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari.

He also met Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who briefed him on his meeting with JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman, who has announced setting out on a ‘long march’ on October 27 in a bid to bring down the government.

The two also discussed the country’s general political situation.

Zardari, in an informal conversation with the media, said his doctors had recommended that he should be shifted to a hospital because his blood sugar level often drops. He said that if he suddenly falls ill, the jail administration would not be able to get him medical help in time and suggested that a hospital ward be declared a sub-jail for him instead.

He also said that he was fully supporting the Freedom March of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. The former president said the PPP was backing his movement to topple the incumbent government.