Thatta water supply reference: Zardari gets relief under amended NAB law

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Thursday returned to NAB the Thatta water supply reference against PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, saying that it no longer fell in its domain after the changes in the NAB law.

The reference was heard by Accountability Court Judge Rana Nasir Javed, who announced his reserved verdict in the case. It observed that as the case no longer fell within its jurisdiction after the amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), it should be forwarded to a relevant forum.

Earlier, Zardari also filed a plea for sending the mega-money laundering reference pertaining to the fake accounts back to NAB under the new law. ardari’s lawyer Farooq H Naek and the NAB prosecutor appeared before the accountability court. Presenting his arguments over sending the reference against Zardari and his sister, Faryal Talpur, back to NAB, Naek said his clients faced charges of transferring around Rs35 billion through 29 fake accounts.

He contended that neither NAB had produced any evidence in connection with the case, nor the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor sent the case to the anti-graft body. It was further argued that after the new changes in the NAB law, the case no longer fell in the court’s domain and so it should be sent back to the anti-graft body. After listening to the arguments, Judge Javed reserved his judgment.

The Thatta water supply reference was part of the fake accounts and money laundering case filed by NAB against the PPP leader. According to the reference, Harish and Company had taken a contract for water supply from the Special Initiative Department of Sindh but had not initiated any work on the project. NAB claimed that Harish and Company was the frontline firm of Zardari’s Park Lane Estate which caused a loss of Rs60 million to the national exchequer. It was further alleged that the funds had been used to meet the expenses of Naudero House.