KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday rejected appeals filed by Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur seeking immediate stay order on a petition by the National Accountability Bureau requesting transfer of a case pertaining to money laundering of billions through fake accounts; from Karachi to Rawalpindi.
A divisional bench of the SHC headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Mohammad Sheikh issued notice to the anti-graft watchdog to submit reply in the transfer petition by next hearing fixed for March 26.
PPP’s top leadership, the Omni Group’s Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed, former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairperson Hussain Lawai, Summit Bank Senior Vice-President Taha Raza are among those being investigated by the Federal Investigation Agency and the National Accountability Bureau separately. The matter is also being heard by the Supreme Court.
Farooq H Naek, defence counsel for the Pakistan Peoples Party stalwarts, claimed that NAB’s appeal violated laws.
It may be mentioned here that the bureau filed the appeal following Supreme Court’s decision in fake accounts suo motu case wherein the joint investigation team (JIT) report and evidence collected was transmitted to the bureau for further investigations.
However, Naek maintained that the top court did not order the transfer of cases to Rawalpindi. He asserted that the judgment orders filing of 16 references in Islamabad. The CJ asked whether the defence counsel had filed a review appeal over the SC verdict.
“The top court issued written orders to transfer the cases to Islamabad. So what is the issue now? On what grounds should the bureau submit supplementary challan?”
The bench has sought a reply from anti-graft watchdog on the matter. It also issued notice in appeals filed by Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani.
