Asif Ali Zardari Appears Before Accountability Court In Thoshanakhana Case

(@fidahassanain)

Asif Ali Zardari appears before accountability court in Thoshanakhana case

The Accountability court has fixed Sept 9 as next date of hearing for indictment of former President Asif Ali Zardari and others in Thoshakhana case.

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 17th, 2020) PPP Co-Chairman and former President Asif Ali Zardari appeared before an accountability court in Toshakhana reference on Monday.

Strict security arrangements were made in and outside the premise of the accountability court.

Former President Asif Ali Zardari appeared before the court in Islamabad from Karachi along with his son PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

However, the party leadership asked the workers not to attend the proceedings amid fears of Coronavirus. As Asif Ali Zardari reached the premises of the court Bilawal Bhutto Zardari asked the party workers to leave the premises.

The accountability court has fixed Sept 9 as the date for indictment of former President Asif Ali Zardari, former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and others in Toshanakhana reference.

Earlier, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had accused former President Asif Ali Zardari, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and others of obtaining cars from Thoshakahan by paying 15 per cnet of the price of the cars.

NAB had alleged that Asif Ali Zardari had also received cars as gifts from Libya and the UAE when he was president and used them for his personal use instead of depositing them in the public treasury.

Former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani facilitated Zardari and Nawaz in this matter, said the NAB, pointing out that he also relaxed the procedure for acceptance and disposal of gifts.

Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, Khawaja Anwar Majeed and owners of the Omni Group were also accused by the NAB officials in the same reference.

NAB said that Nawaz Sharif was not holding any public office in 2008 but he was given a vehicle without any justification, adding that the leaders were charged with corruption under sub-sections 2, 4, 7 and 12 of Section 9 (A) of the NAB Ordinance.

The Toshakhana (gift depository) gift from any country to the head of the state remains the property of the government unless sold at an open auction. Rules allow officials to retain gifts with a market value of less than Rs10,000 without paying anything.

Fida Hussnain

Fida Hussnain is a lahore based journalist. He writes on politics, religion, social issues and climate change. He is also a research fellow at University of Gujrat.