IHC Allows Bail To Zardari In New York Flat Case

(@fidahassanain)

IHC allows bail to Zardari in New York flat case

The doctors had advised the PPP co-chairman and former president to avoid traveling due to health issues.

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-July 7th, 2021) Islamabad High Court on Wednesday summoned PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari for Wednesday (today) in the case of his pre-bail plea in a case related to ownership of a flat in New York.

The IHC division bench comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Amir Farooq heard the pre-arrest bail petition filed by former president Asif Ali Zardari.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had issued a call-up notice to the former president on June 15 directing him to appear before the accountability watchdog on June 24. The NAB was investigating into Zardari’s ownership of a flat in New York.

But the former president moved an application in the IHC terming the NAB’s call-up notice baseless and an attempt to soil his name. The petition denied NAB’s claim that the property belonged to Zardari and that the notice was issued just to harass him at the behest of PTI government. The petition pleaded to the court to grant him interim bail till the case was decided.

Earlier, Zardari’s counsel Farooq H Naik told the court that the former president was under treatment in a hospital. He pleaded for Mr Zardari’s exemption from the court appearance. However, he said if the court would summon him, then Mr Zardari would attend the hearing.

Justice Minallah remarked that he was afraid that the case might not set a precedent for others if the court granted bail to the former president in his absence.

Justice Farooq said that it was a set rule that the petitioner seeking pre-arrest bail must be present during the hearing of his case.

Naik requested the court to give him protective bail so that Mr Zardari could appear before the court. On this, Justice Minallah remarked that Mr Zardari could obtain protective bail from the Sindh High Court.

Naik told the court that Mr Zardari was ill and was admitted in the hospital.

Asif Zardari has been admitted to Ziauddin Hospital in Karachi after he had visited Islamabad a few days ago.

On other hand, the doctors advised the former president that he was unwell and should avoid from travel.

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.