Fake accounts case: Bail rejected, Zardari arrested

Islamabad: The National Accountability Office (NAB) arrested former President Asif Ali Zardari from Zardari House within a few hours after the High Court of Islamabad (IHC) rejected the false bank account scam proposed by him and his sister Faryal Talpur on the interim bail.


After being arrested by Asif Ali Zardari, he was transferred to the office of NAB Rawalpindi, where he was examined by a doctor and is expected to be sent to court today (Tuesday).

The Asif Ali Zardari medical examination report is expected to be released in court today (Tuesday). Pakistani People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his sister Aseefa Bhutto Zardari took him away from Zardari House because the NAB team took him to the Rabalpindi office of NAB at the Melody Market in Black Land Cruiser.

Although the bail request of former President Asif Ali Zardari’s sister Farialt Talpur was also rejected, the DAB did not arrest her. Prior to the arrest of Asif Ali Zardari, police officers, including female officials, entered the Zardari House after a court ruling, and all roads leading to the residence were blocked by the police.

After the transfer of Asif Ali Zardari to Rawalpindi NAB, the road to the Rawalpindi office was blocked. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called on the party's staff to remain calm and peaceful. “The people have never accepted a controversial decision from the judiciary,” he said.

He said that the suspension and the explosion did not disappoint them, and then how these arrests made them afraid. He said that the PPP always proves innocent in court. “Despite some judicial decisions, PPP believes in respect and supreme law,” he said.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari later in the parliament building was not allowed to speak in the National Assembly, saying that this is the second time Larkana's MNA is not allowed to speak in the National Assembly, but two federal ministers - Fawad Chaudhry from Rawalpindi Jehlum and Sheikh Rashid Ahmed - were allowed to speak. “I am being reviewed in the National Assembly,” he said.

After rejecting Asif Ali Zardari’s bail request through IHC, NAB sent a letter of intent to National Assembly President Asad Qaisar requesting an arrest warrant.

At the same time, PPP announced a challenge to the IHC decision of the Supreme Court. Sardar Latif Khosa said in an interview with the media that the NAB chairman went beyond judicial orders and issued non-guaranteed warrants to Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur. “Until 2013, he has resigned from the company. He has nothing to do with the administrative, administrative or financial affairs of the Zardari Group and has no false accounts,” he said. When he became president, he resigned as a director. Zardari Group, this is the record of the SECP.

He said that the Omni Group has acknowledged and noticed that it has opened different accounts. This [account] is an international account of the Omni Group. "We have been released on bail, so NAB's margin will exceed the court order. We were told to go to the High Court, so we asked to show us the order. This is out of malice," he said.

Kossa further stressed that Asif Ali Zardari "is a peaceful citizen of Pakistan and he voluntarily surrenders." He said that Asif Ali Zardari said he is obliged to abide by the law if they want To arrest him, he will blame to go with them. “The People’s Party has always respected the law,” he said.

Earlier, a departmental court in the High Court of Islamabad, Judge Aamir Farooq and Judge Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, continued to hear requests from former President Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur to extend their interim bail in the fake bank account.

After listening to these arguments, the Islamabad High Court of Justice retained the verdict and later allowed the National Accountability Authority (NAB) authorities to arrest Asif Zardari when the order was issued.

At the hearing, NAB prosecutor Jahanzeb Barwana argued in court that Asif Ali Zardari was not worth bail. He said, "In special circumstances, bail before the arrest can be approved, but the petitioner did not make such a reason."

In this regard, Zardari’s lawyer Farooq H Naek argued in court that Asif Ali Zardari had no connection with the Omni Group’s account. He doesn't even have any allegations about helping anyone open a fake bank account. He said that Zardari Group only accused the account of receiving Rs. 1.5 billion. "If the transaction is on record, how suspicious it may be," he added.

Farooq Naek further argues that after submitting a reference to Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, the NAB chairman has no right to issue arrest warrants for both at this stage. After listening to the arguments of both parties, IHC rejected the ba