Thatta water supply case: Framing of charges against Zardari, others deferred

ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court on Thursday deferred framing of charges in Thatta water supply case against former president Asif Ali Zardari and others as another accused filed an acquittal application under the National Accountability (second amendment) Ordinance, 2021.

Accountability Court-II judge, Muhammad Azam Khan, while hearing the case sought comments from the NAB regarding acquittal application of accused Minahal Majeed. At the start of the hearing, Minahal Majeed’s counsel filed an acquittal application under 265-D and 256-K of the code of criminal procedure (CrPC).

At the start of the hearing, Zardari’s counsel’s associate filed an application seeking one-day exemption for his client to appear before it, which the court approved.

Usman Masood, prosecutor NAB, Furqan Hameed, investigation officer (IO) NAB, an associate of Farooq H Naek, defense counsel Arshad Tabraiz, and other counsels appeared before the court.

The court adjourned the case till March 28.

The anti-graft body nominated Zardari and 13 other suspects in the supplementary filed in connection with Thatta water supply scam.

The bureau had not nominated Zardari in the interim reference and Ashfaq Leghari and In-charge Naudero House Nadeem Bhutto in the interim reference.

In the interim reference, the bureau has nominated 13 accused including Ejaz Ahmed Khan, former secretary of Special Initiative Department of Sindh; Hassan Memon, project director/chairman of the procurement committee for the water supply scheme, Thatta, members of the committee namely, Ali Akbar Abro, Aijaz Ahmed Memon, Athar Nawaz Durrani, Abdul Haleem Memon, Mohammad Farrukh Khan, Mohammad Ramzan, Mohammad Siddiq Sulemani, and Zeeshan Hasan Yousaf, a private contractor Harish, CEO Omni Group Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, and Minahal Majeed.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022