ISLAMABAD: On Thursday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) accepted the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) argument and dismissed appeals against the former president’s acquittal in corruption references, providing relief to PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Zardari in proceedings brought against him 25 years ago.
The case was considered by a two-person IHC court under the direction of Chief Justice Athar Minallah.
In court on behalf of NAB was Additional Prosecutor General Jahanzeb Khan Bharwana.
“NAB’s request to drop its objections to Asif Ali Zardari’s dismissal in four instances was granted. On the basis of merit, appeals are denied, the court ruled.
The accountability court had cleared the PPP co-chairperson in the SGS, Cotecna, Ursus Tractors, and ARY Gold References, and the anti-graft watchdog had petitioned the court to drop its appeals.
Only photocopies of the documents are on file against the former president, according to the NAB
The NAB had also stated in its argument that the documents at hand did not follow the rules of evidence. It declared that further prosecution of the appeals was impracticable, hence the court should permit the NAB to drop its appeals against Zardari’s acquittal in order to uphold the needs of justice.
Cases involving ARY Gold Reference and Ursus Tractors, which were brought in 2000 and 2001, were cleared by the court in December 2014. In 1998, this case was first established.
On November 24, 2015, the accountability court declared Zardari not guilty in the Cotecna and SGS reference.
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