ISLAMABAD: Former chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Farkhand Iqbal, on Thursday, filed an acquittal application in Park Lane case against him, former president Asif Ali Zardari, and others.

Iqbal filed the acquittal plea before Accountability Court-II Judge Muhammad Azam Khan under the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2021. The court has issued notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and sought reply from the anti-graft body till the next hearing to be held on November 18. The allegation against Iqbal in the reference is awarding 118 kanal of government land to M/s Park Lane Estate (Pvt) Ltd.

Last year, the AC indicted the former president and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Zardari and others in a case involving allegations of money laundering and misuse of authority in the Park Lane reference.

According to the charges levelled against Zardari, he influenced the relevant authorities during his tenure as president to release loans to front companies.

Those who were nominated by the NAB in the supplementary reference filed in connection with the Park Lane case included, Zardari, Muhammad Iqbal Memon, director Park Lane Company, M/s Park Lane Estate (Private) Limited, Muhammad Iqbal Khan Noori director M/s Parthenon (Pvt) Ltd, Muhammad Hanif Accountant M/s Park Lane Estate, M/s Parthenon (Pvt) Limited, an incorporated entity bearing certificate of incorporation under the provision of the Companies Ordinance 1984, and Hussain Lawai, former president Arif Habib Bank, and the Summit Bank.

The other accused included Abdul Ghani Majid, shareholder/director Regent Service (Pvt) Ltd multiple companies known as Omni Group, Khawaja Anwar Majid shareholder director Omni Group, Taha Raza public relationship manager Arif Habib Bank now Summit Bank, Farooq Abdullah area branch manager HBL, UzairNaeem former AVP Summit Bank, M/s Tracom (Pvt) Ltd through GM south-an incorporated entity bearing certificate of incorporation under the provision of the companies office, Muhammad Saleem Faisal General Manager (GM) M/s Tracom (Pvt) Limited, and Zahir Ismail.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021