Park Lane case: Zardari exempted from personal appearance

(Karachi) An accountability court in Islamabad granted exemption from personal appearance to former president Asif Ali Zardari in the Park Lane reference, local media reported on Wednesday.

The proceedings of the case was conducted by Accountability Judge Azam Khan.

Zardari's counsel Farooq H Naek appeared in court and demanded that the case be put off as the former president is unable to come to Islamabad due to cases in Karachi.

The court stated that the process of recording statements of prosecution witnesses should not be halted. The court adjourned the case till Thursday and directed lawyers representing the accused to ensure their presence in court.

The National Accountability Bureau alleged that former president got a loan of Rs1.5 billion released for his front company, Parthenon Private Limited with ill intention, and the money was later transferred for his personal use through fake bank accounts.

The accountability watchdog accused the former president of causing the national exchequer a loss of Rs3.77 billion through these fake bank account transactions. In its 13-page long reference, NAB alleged that the accused created benami properties through Park Lane Company using Parthenon Private Limited as the front.