Daily Times

An Accountability Court (AC) on Thursday adjourned hearing till July 15, on Park Lane Company and mega money laundering references against former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and others.

AC-II Judge Muhammad Azam Khan heard the references connected with fake accounts scam filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The court also granted one-day exemption from hearing to the former president on request of his lawyer.

At the outset of hearing, the defence counsel concluded his cross examination with prosecution witness Ahsan Aslam. On inquiry, the witness told the court that he was serving as Deputy Director Security Market Division Karachi in Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) in 2009-10. However, he was appointed joint registrar companies registration SECP in Karachi in 2019.

The witness said that he had not taken any written permission from his seniors before sharing documents with NAB investigators.

To another query by the defence, the witness said that five to six Deputy Registrars were appointed in his current division of SECP.

He said that the Parthenon Company was registered with SECP under the rules. It was registered in 2009, he added.

After conclusion of the cross examination by defence lawyer Farook H. Naek, the court adjourned hearing on Park Lane reference till July 15.

Meanwhile, the defence lawyer also continued his cross examination with prosecution witnesses Ahsan Aslam Khan and Muhammad Naeem in mega money laundering references. The court also granted one day exemption from hearing to Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, Khawaja Anwar Majeed, his son Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed and Muhammad Aurangzeb in this case on request of their lawyers.

After this, the hearing was adjourned till next date.