IHC issues notice to NAB on Zardari’s plea

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on a petition of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari seeking quashing of the Park Lane reference.

The IHC sought a reply from NAB on the petition of Mr Zardari and adjourned the hearing of the case till Oct 14.

Advocate Farooq H. Naek, counsel for Mr Zardari, requested the high court to quash the references as they were “without jurisdiction, illegal and unlawful”.

Mr Zardari is facing four references in the accountability courts of Islamabad. So far, he has been indicted in Toshakhana and mega money laundering references. However, his indictment in the Park Lane and Thatta Water Supply references has been deferred by the accountability court till Oct 5.

Earlier in August, accountability court Judge Mohammad Azam Khan was set to indict Mr Zardari, but deferred the indictment after the counsel for the former president filed the application challenging the jurisdiction of the court.

Mr Zardari has been accused of being involved in obtaining loan and its misappropriation by M/s Parthenon Private Limited, M/s Park Lane Estate Private Limited and others.