SC issues notice to NAB over Zardari’s plea seeking transfer of cases to Karachi courts

The Top Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a petition by former president Asif Ali Zardari seeking transfer of corruption cases filed against him in federal capital’s accountability courts to Karachi.

According to the details, Justice Umar Ata Bandial while heading the bench; issued notices to the Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman’s sister Faryal Talpur and all other people nominated as accused along with Asif Zardari in the graft references.

During the case hearing, the top court bench observed that it needs to determine under what conditions the apex court ordered for filing of references in Islamabad. The court remarked that Jan 7, 2019 verdict of the court is final, which can neither be reversed nor implementation of it stalled.

Farooq H Naek, the lawyer of lawyer of Asif Zardari; contended that it’s his client’s right to file a plea for transfer of a case under the NAB law, which couldn’t be taken away by the court through the verdict.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial noted that the cases were filed in the federal capital by the accountability watchdog on the basis of various accusations. The Judge remarked that the corruption watchdog filed the references in Islamabad on the court order.

The Apex court Judge asked if Asif Ali Zardari had references filed against him in Islamabad in the past, to which the counsel replied that references were instituted against his client in Lahore and Rawalpindi and one was even heard at Attock Fort. He said the former president got acquitted in all the cases in the past.

After hearing the arguments, the hearing of the case was adjourned for one month.