ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Thursday sought a rep­ort from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) over its jurisdiction to hear the Toshakhana vehicles case after the counsel for Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and others raised objections.

At the outset, the lawyers obje­cted to the court proceedings pointing out that a Supreme Court ruling on amendments to the Nati­onal Accountability Ordinance bar­­red NAB and the accountability court from dealing with such matters.

They argued that the reference that was returned to NAB on Dec 21, 2022, no longer falls under the court’s jurisdiction.

Abida Sajjad, the judge of accou­ntability court No 3, directed the anti-graft watchdog to submit a report on the matter and asked the defence lawyers to file an application formally raising the jurisdictional issue.

The hearing was adjourned to Oct 30.

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The judge sought NAB’s opinion on the status of President Asif Zardari since he has already availed presidential immunity in the case.

The court directed NAB’s additional prosecutor general, who was not present, to appear on each and every date of hearing.

According to the reference, then-prime minister Gilani extended illegal benefits to Nawaz Sharif and then-president Zardari, allowing them to retain the vehicles gifted to them by different foreign states and dignitaries by relaxing procedures related to the submission of gifts in the Toshakhana.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2024