Zardari moves court for acquittal in NAB references
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ISLAMABAD: Former president Asif Ali Zardari moved an application Saturday in an accountability court in the federal capital seeking acquittal in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against him, DawnNews reported.
The hearing of the NAB references against the former president was held in an accountability court in Islamabad.
During the hearing, Zardari’s counsel Farooq H Naek requested for his client’s acquittal in the corruption references against him.
Naek contended that the former president could not be charged in the cases. He said there was no evidence in the references against Zardari that could see him indicted.
Speaking to media representatives after the hearing, Naek claimed that the polo reference against Zardari was only an allegation and that nothing could be proved.
Separately, the accountability court in Islamabad has granted permanent exemption to Zardari from appearing before it in view of security threats to his life.
During the hearing, Zardari's counsel Amjad Qureshi told the court that the former president could not be produced due to security threats to his life.
Qureshi requested his client's permanent exemption from court which was granted.
The cases against Zardari contain charges of kickbacks and commission from SGS PSI Company for pre-shipment inspection, grant of a licence to ARY Gold causing losses to national exchequer, receipt of illegal gratification and commission in purchase of URSUS tractors under the Awami Tractor Scheme, illegal award of a contract to Cotecna for pre-shipment, possession of assets beyond means and receipt of kickbacks from Sajjad Ahmad, a former chairman of Pakistan Steel Mills.
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 Zardari were the main accused and Nusrat Bhutto, former chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue A.R. Siddiqui and six directors of the Swiss company, Cotecna, were co-accused. Benazir Bhutto and Zardari had been accused of taking as kickback six per cent of the total value of $131 million pre-shipment contract awarded to the Swiss company.
