–Judge asks Zardari to file separate plea regarding summoning of evidence from PM’s aide after claims regarding ownership of 32 benami properties
ISLAMABAD: The accountability court on Monday extended the physical remand of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Faryal Talpur in the fake accounts case by seven days.
The court extended the remand till July 29 after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) requested another extension.
The PPP leader would now be presented in the accountability court on July 30.
The NAB officials produced former president and PPP’s Co-Chairman Asif Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and other accused before Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir who was hearing the case after the removal of Judge Arshad Malik from the post.
During the hearing, the NAB prosecutor apprised the court regarding progress in investigation in mega corruption scam and requested the judge to grant further 14-day physical remand of Talpur.
The court at first granted Talpur’s physical remand till August 6. However, it was reduced till July 29, on the request of NAB officials.
Meanwhile, Zardari arrived at the rostrum and presented newspaper clippings in which Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar mentioned that Zardari owned 32 properties.
The former president contended that the trial court should summon Akbar and inquire about the evidence about his statement. At this, Judge Bashir asked Zardari to share the clippings with his lawyer and file a separate application regarding the matter.
The court also granted one-day exemption from hearing to two accused Noreen Sultan and Kiran Aman, who had submitted applications to become approvers in fake accounts case.
The NAB prosecutor informed the court that two other accused Nasir Abdullah and Azam Wazir could not be produced in court as both were abroad.
It may be mentioned here that the NAB would also produce Zardari on July 29, after ending of his remand in Park Lane property investigation.
In August last year, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) named PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Omni Group chairman, his sons and over 10 others as suspects in an interim charge sheet filed in the banking court for alleged money laundering to the tune of over Rs4 billion through 29 fake bank accounts opened in three banks.
Last month, NAB arrested Zardari after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) recalled the pre-arrest bail granted to him and his sister Faryal Talpur in the fake accounts case.
Later NAB declared Talpur’s F-8 residence in Islamabad as a sub-jail and placed her under house arrest.