ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of mega money laundering and Park Lane cases against former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and others after the defence counsel presented partial arguments regarding section 31-D of NAB law under which permission of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is required before initiating any inquiry over the imprudent loan or rescheduled loan.
Accountability Court-II Judge Muhammad Azam Khan adjourned the cases till November 2 after the defence counsel completed partial arguments regarding section 31-D.
Farooq H Naek, the lead counsel for Zardari and Faryal Talpur as well as lawyers of other accused, filed separate applications seeking one-day exemption from appearing before it which the court approved.
NAB prosecutor Usman Masood also appeared before the court.
According to section 31-D of NAB law-inquiry, investigation, or proceedings in respect to the NAB is prohibited to initiate any inquiry/investigation with regard to imprudent loans, defaulted loans, or rescheduled loans without a reference from the governor SBP.
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 YounasKudwavi, Zain Malik, Haji Haroon, Khawaja Muhammad Salman Younus, PirDarvesh Khan, Imran Khan, Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Bilal Shaikh, in the supplementary reference filed in connection with mega money laundering case.
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, 2022