Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari has been issued another notice on Saturday to appear at NAB old headquarters in Rawalpindi on May 29 for investigation into his alleged role in overvaluation of power projects and illegal awards of contracts. Reportedly, a Combined Investigation Team (CIT) of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will record his statement in both inquiries.
Besides, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has already been issued a notice to appear before the investigation team on the same day (May 29). On May 23, Zardari had not appeared before the NAB Rawalpindi on the pretext of his busy schedule in the ongoing investigation into the fake bank accounts case. In his letter to the NAB, he asked the Bureau to manage another date for him. The NAB had summoned him in an inquiry pertaining to illegal allotment of land by Sindh government and misuse of powers.
On May 15, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted him and his sister Faryal Talpur bail in all of the cases against them. The high court had granted Zardari interim bail in the money-laundering case until May 29. Earlier on May 9, the NAB had summoned him to record his statement in the fake accounts case; however, he had excused himself from appearing before the CIT and sought another date. He argued that he was scheduled to appear before an accountability court in Islamabad on the same day.
The NAB has already filed references in money laundering through fake bank accounts, Pink Residency and illegal award of water supply schemes against him. On April 13, Zardari had submitted his written response to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi on 54 questions in connection with three cases, including Park Lane Estate, Pink Residency, and fake accounts and money laundering against him.
Earlier, the case was being heard in a banking court in Karachi but had been shifted to an accountability court in Islamabad upon an appeal by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).