PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has pleaded not guilty in both Park and Thatta Water Supply references.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Oct 5th, 2020) An accountability court on Monday framed charges against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari in Park Lane and Thatta water supply references.
Asif Ali Zardari pleaded not guilty in the case.
The court also framed charges 19 other accused in Park Lane and 15 accused in water supply references.
Earlier, accountability court had indicted Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and Omni Group Chairman Khawaja Anwar Majeed in mega money laundering reference.
The court had rejected Asif Ali Zardari’s plea seeking acquittal in mega money laundering, Park Lane and Thatta water supply references.
Announcing the reserved verdict, the court had directed to indict the PPP leader in all three references. could not be acquitted in fake bank accounts case, judge Azam Khan had observed.
Last year in December, Asif Ali Zardari was released on medical grounds after an accountability court in Islamabad issued separate robkars [mandamuses] in the money laundering through fake bank accounts cases against him.
The charges in the latest case centre around allegations Zardari laundered vast sums of money through suspect bank accounts and companies.
NAB was conducting investigations in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the money laundering of billions through fake accounts case wherein it forwarded the joint investigation team (JIT) report with directions to investigate and file references.
Zardari has repeatedly dismissed allegations he had a hand in the scheme.
The PPP Co-Chairman who was once jailed for 11 years for corruption stepped down from the president’s office in 2013. But he continued to serve as co-chairman of the opposition PPP.
