NAB requests IHC to withdraw its appeals against Zardari’s acquittal

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Wednesday approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to withdraw appeals against PPP Co-chairperson and former president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari’s acquittal in four references, which are scheduled for hearing today (Thursday).

NAB has submitted four separate petitions in the IHC to withdraw the appeals against Zardari’s acquittal by the accountability court in the SGS, Cotecna, Ursus Tractors, and ARY Gold References, which state that only photocopies of the documents are on record against the former president.

NAB also mentioned that the available documents are not in accordance with the law of evidence. It stated that further prosecution on the appeals was an impossible task; therefore, to meet the requirements of justice, the court should allow the NAB to withdraw the appeals against Zardari’s acquittal.

After the hearing of reference was completed, the accountability court ordered to acquit Zardari and also approved NAB’s petition to withdraw the appeals against his acquittal simultaneously.

With regard to two cases — ARY Gold reference and Ursus Tractors filed in the years 2000 and 2001 — the accountability court issued its verdict to acquit the PPP co-chairperson on December 12, 2014. This case was initially created in 1998. Zardari was also acquitted by the accountability court in the Cotecna and SGS reference on November 24, 2015.