ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), on Thursday, failed to submit its reply before the Accountability Court against former president Asif Ali Zardari’s acquittal application under the recently-promulgated National Accountability (second amendment) Ordinance 2021, in mega money laundering case against him, his sister, and others, and sought more time.
The Accountability Court-II judge, Muhammad Azam Khan, while hearing the case, directed the NAB to file its reply at the next hearing to be held on December 6th.
At the start of the hearing, the judge inquired from the NAB prosecutor, Waseem Javed, regarding response of the NAB with respect to Zardari’s and other accused’s acquittal applications.
On this, the NAB prosecutor told the court that he did not receive reply from the NAB’s headquarters; therefore, he requested the court to grant him more time.
The court approved his request and adjourned the hearing till December 6th.
The defence counsels of Zardari, Faryal Talpur, and other accused filed separate applications seeking one-day exemption from appearance before it, which the court approved.
The NAB had nominated Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Hussain Lawai, Anwar Majid, Abdul Ghani Majeed, Taha Raza, Arif Khan, Muhammad Umair, Syed Hussain Faisal Shah Jamote, Azam Wazir Khan, Nimr Majid, Mustafa Z Majid, Ali Kemal Malik, M Younas Kudwavi, Zain Malik, Haji Haroon, Khawaja Muhammad Salman Younus, Pir Darvesh Khan, Imran Khan, Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Bilal Shaikh, in the supplementary reference filed in connection with mega money laundering case.
Meanwhile, the anti-graft body also sought time from the Accountability Court for submitting response against former president Zardari’s and other accused’s plea for acquittal under the National Accountability (second amendment) Ordinance 2021, in Thatta water supply case.
The Accountability Court-II judge, Muhammad Azam Khan, while hearing grant time to the NAB till December 6th for filling its response against Zardari and other accused’s acquittal pleas in award of illegal contract of Thatta water supply to Harish and Company case.
The NAB had 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.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021