ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has told the Accountability Court hearing fake accounts case that there is "concrete evidence" that former president Asif Ali Zardari acquired his house in Clifton, Karachi, through "corruption" money.
The bureau in its reply said, Director General (DG) NAB Rawalpindi authorised an inquiry into fake accounts case regarding a transaction of Rs 8.3 billion from a real estate and land developer company through joint account of Mushtaq Ahmed and Zain Malik into "fake" accounts.
It is alleged that unexplained and unjustified bank transactions of huge amount have been made by that real estate concern into the joint account of Zain Malik and Mushtaq Ahmad, it says.
There is no apparent and relevant consideration available for such payments nor have the accused persons provided any plausible justification for transfer of these funds.
The joint accounts have been used as a parking account into which proceeds of crime have been placed, therein, as further transaction have been made from this accounts into fake accounts.
The accused, Ahmed, being a person of minimal resources and being a low-paid government employee from 2009 till 2013, has no other means through which to justify the amount transacted by him.
Furthermore, he held no office or was in position of influence to be engaged by that real estate company and placed as a co-signatory in this joint account.
It says that the accused, Ahmed was appointed as a stenographer attached with the accused Zardari as then president of Pakistan.
The accused, Ahmed remained employed in the President House, on a contract basis, till September 5, 2013.
Accused Ahmed was part of personal staff of the then president, and current applicant Zardari. A request for appointment of accused, Ahmed as private secretary with Zardari was also made to President Secretariat in February 2015.
It says that the current address of the accused, Ahmed as per his computerized national identity card (CNIC) is House No 8, Street No 19, Sector F-8/2, Islamabad, which is the same as the current address of the accused, Zardari.
As per record of the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA's) Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) the accused, Ahmed, accompanied Zardari on approximately 104 international flights including special flights.
The NAB reply said that Ahmed had not joined inquiry investigation proceedings even after issuance of multiple call up notices and was willingly and deliberately absconding to avoid the process of law.
The investigation revealed that the subject joint account of accused, Mushtaq Ahmed and Zain Malik had been used to make payment of Rs150 million to Ahmad Abdul Bari. This payment was made as consideration for purchase of plot/house No F-32, Block 04, Clifton, Karachi by Zardari.
It says that contrary to that statements submitted to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and declaration submitted with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), accused Zardari had declared the value of the property as Rs53,550,000.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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