An accountability court in the federal capital on Thursday reserved a verdict in a money laundering case against former president Asif Ali Zardari, Faryar Talpur and others. Accountability court Judge Nasir Javed Rana reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor and PPP leader’s counsel Farooq H Naek. During the hearing, Mr Naek said his client Asif Zardari was facing charges of Rs30 million corruption, adding that the NAB could not prove the allegations so far. He said the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) had not even sent the case to the anti-graft watchdog.

He further argued that the case no more fell in the jurisdiction of the accountability court after amendments in the NAB law as the amount involving in it was below Rs5 billion. He pleaded the court to sent back the reference to the NAB. Meanwhile, the court approved pleas seeking one-day exemption from appearance for Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur and other suspects in the case. Zardari, the widower of slain Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, together with his sister has been charged with money laundering through fake accounts. However, he has denied the allegation.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP