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NAB references : Court adjourns hearing of Zardari’s case until April 2
APP
ISLAMABAD: The accountability court on Thursday accepted the request of former president Asif Ali Zardari’s advocate to grant exemption to his client in NAB references.
Accountability court Judge Muhammad Bashir was hearing NAB references case against Asif Ali Zardari. During the hearing, Zardari’s counsel Farooq H Naek requested the court to adjourn the hearing due to the lawyers’ strike, while the court accepted the request and adjourned the hearing till April 2. It may be mentioned that an accountability court while acquitting AR Siddiqui in the Cotecna reference on September 16, 2011, had also directed NAB that the case of the accused Asif Ali Zardari would be taken up for trial on ceasing of the immunity.
Till that time, the file is consigned to the record room after its due completion,” the Accountability Judge Jahandar Khan Banth had ruled. The Cotecna corruption reference was initially prepared by Saifur Rehman, the chairman of Ehtesab Bureau, during the second government of Nawaz Sharif. Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari were the main accused in the reference and Nusrat Bhutto, former CBR chairman AR Siddiqui, and six directors of the Swiss company Cotecna were the co-accused.
The other cases pending against Zardari included the allegation of receiving kickbacks from SGS PSI Company, grant of licence to ARY Gold causing huge loss to government, illegal gratification and undue pecuniary advantage in the form of commission in purchase of Ursus tractors under the Awami Tractor Scheme. Besides, illegal construction of a polo ground at the prime minister house and money laundering in the SGS Swiss case were also under adjudication.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk