Thatta water supply case: Zardari has immunity under Article 248, NAB tells AC

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), on Monday, filed a report before the Accountability Court hearing the Thatta water supply case against President Asif Ali Zardari and others that President Zardari has presidential immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution.

Accountability Court judge Nasir Javed Rana during the previous hearing of the case regarding the award of an illegal contract of Thatta water supply sought a reply from NAB after Zardari’s counsel filed an application before the court seeking presidential immunity in the Thatta Water Supply reference.

Zardari’s counsel adopted the stance that his client enjoyed presidential immunity; therefore, proceedings against him could not be carried out.

The NAB says that this court may pass an appropriate order in the light of the Constitution and relevant judgment with regard to Article 248 of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973.

According to Article 248 of the Constitution, (a) No criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the President or a Governor in any court during his term of office and (b) No process for the arrest or imprisonment of the President or a Governor shall issue from any court during his term of office.

The anti-graft body nominated Zardari, Ejaz Ahmed Khan, and 12 other suspects in the supplementary filed in connection with the Thatta water supply scam. The NAB had not nominated Zardari in the interim reference.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024