Indictment of former president and PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari in a Rs8 billion suspicious transactions case was set for October 28 by an accountability court in Islamabad on Thursday.
Syed Asghar Ali, the accountability judge, rejected Zardari’s acquittal petition and called him to the next hearing for indictment, according to the court’s decision, which was reserved earlier today.
The hearing has been rescheduled for October 28.
Zardari submits a petition for acquittal.
Today, the former president appeared in front of the accountability court in Islamabad and pleaded acquittal.
During the hearing, his lawyer, Farooq Hamid Naek, claimed that following the new NAB ordinance, Zardari could not be charged in the case.
“In this instance, no allegations of damaging the national exchequer have been levelled against my client,” the lawyer stated, adding that the matter did not come under the category of corruption or corrupt activities.
As a result, the lawyer contended, the accountability court lacks authority to hear the matter.
According to Zardari’s lawyer, an accusation pertaining to Rs150 million in registered sale deeds has been levelled against his client, and the sum was paid through bank checks in the case.
The bank checks, he claimed, did not belong to Asif Ali Zardari.
“First and foremost, can you tell me whether or not this petition is admissible?” enquired the judge
The lawyer urged the court to send a notice to NAB and request a response, stating that he would then present his arguments on the matter.
Meanwhile, the judge has delayed his judgement on the petition’s admissibility and stated that he will make his decision soon.
‘The PPP will constitute the next government.’
After the appearance, Zardari told media that his party will form the next administration in the nation.
“The process will continue till the country’s economy does not come down any more,” Zardari remarked in response to a query about how long the accountability process would go.