Asif Ali Zardari, Faryal Talpur appear before accountability court in Islamabad

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur appeared on Monday before the accountability court in Islamabad in the money laundering through fake accounts case.

The duo reached the accountability court amid strict security. Special arrangements were made for the duo's appearance and as many as 2,000 police personnel and 200 personnel from Punjab Rangers were deployed both inside and outside the court, local media reported.

During the hearing headed by Judge Arshad Malik, two women, Kiran Aman and Noreen Sultan, who were named as accused in the case, said that they are ready to testify as witnesses and had even filed an application before NAB Chairman Javed Iqbal.

The judge asked NAB to verify whether the two women had filed a request. Judge Malik asked the women to subit their written requests before the court. The court then adjourned the hearing till April 16.

Speaking to journalists in court, the Zardari said he was seated in the same chair the ex-premier Nawaz Sharif used to sit in during his trial in the Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment references.

Unauthorized people were barred from the court during the duo's appearance. However, two women workers have been  arrested by the police for trying to enter the court forcefully. On March 20, a case was lodged against the PPP workers for violence against police and disrupting the peace.

NAB has been investigating Zardari, Talpur, Omni Group Chairman Anwar Majeed, former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairperson Hussain Lawai, Summit Bank Senior Vice-President Taha Raza and other responsible in the fake accounts case.

The case was recently shifted from a banking court in Karachi to an accountability court in Islamabad on NAB's appeal.