Park Lane Case hearing against Zardari adjourned till Feb 3

The Islamabad Accountability Court on Thursday adjourned Park Lane reference hearing against former president Asif Ali Zardari till February 3.

According to the details, judge Azam Khan conducted the hearing of Park Lane reference against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

While hearing the case, the judge asked Asif Zardari’s lawyer Farooq H Naek to initiate cross-examination.

The lawyer argued that he was not prepared for cross-examination due to shortage of time. He said that he did not get enough time to prepare for cross-examination due to the burden of other cases.

Zardari’s counsel added that he has to appear in the hearing of another case against Zardari in the high court which could take the whole day.

The Accountability Court Judge remarked that the court had earlier fixed the hearing’s date on the counsel’s choice. He maintained that the lawyer should suggest a date for hearing to commence cross-examination. Naek responded to the judge that the court could give any other date.

After hearing the arguments, the court adjourned the hearing till February 3.

What is Park Lane Case?

Former President Asif Ali Zardari is accused of causing a loss of Rs 3.77 billion to the national exchequer through fake bank accounts. Other accused in the reference include PPP senators Usman Saifullah, Anwar Saifullah, and Saleem Saifullah.

According to NAB, the actual value of about 2,500 kanals of land purchased in Islamabad is Rs 2 billion but it was bought for only Rs 62 crore. The Park Lane reference was approved by the NAB chairman in July 2019.

The reference filed against the PPP co-chairman and co-accused is 13 pages long. The text of the reference states that the Park Lane Company made an anonymous property in Karachi through the front company Parthenon.

With the loan money, eight floors were constructed in IBC Center. Initially, a loan of Rs 1.5 billion was taken which increased to Rs 4 billion. Debt irregularities were committed and the accused conspired to damage the treasury.