Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Friday was granted bail after he submitted bonds worth Rs2 million.
Zardari appeared before a local banking court in an in-progress money laundering case accompanied by his counsel Farooq Naik.
Also read: Court issues arrest warrant for Asif Ali Zardari in money laundering case
Previously on August 17, the court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for PPP co-chairman. Nonetheless, on August 18, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had accepted a bail appeal by Zardari seeking protective bail.
The IHC had also directed the former president to appear before the court on September 3.
Before Zardari appeared before the banking court today, a bomb disposal squad inspected the court and gave the permission to go ahead.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is investigating 32 people for the case of money laundering from made-up accounts, including Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur. Zardari’s close adviser Hussain Lawai was arrested in July after investigation.
Moreover, other close supporters of Zaradari, Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his son, Abdul Ghani, were also detained by FIA. Majeed’s three other sons have been given interim bail.
According to sources, at a few private banks more than 20 ‘benami’ accounts were opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015 from where transactions worth billions of rupees were done.
According to FIA sources, the amount is black money collected from several bribes, commissions and inducements.