Zardari seeks presidential immunity in Thatta project graft case

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday filed a plea with the Accountability Court (AC) seeking presidential immunity in the Thatta Water Supply Project reference.

On March 10, Zardari assumed the presidency of Pakistan for the second time in the nation’s history, after defeating SIC-backed candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai. He was a joint candidate of the ruling alliance, which included PMLN, PPP, MQM-P, IPP, PML-Q, and BAP.

Zardari, represented by his lawyer Arshad Tabraiz, submitted the plea in the court of AC Judge Nasir Javed Rana. The lawyer argued that proceedings in the Thatta Water Supply Project case cannot proceed against his client as Zardari enjoys presidential immunity.

Subsequently, the AC judge adjourned the hearing and issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for April 22.

It’s worth noting that the NAB had implicated Zardari, former secretary Ejaz Ahmed Khan, Ali Akbar, Ejaz Memon, Ali Akbar Abro, Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, Manahil Majeed and Nadeem Bhutto in the reference.

According to the NAB, the case revolves around the illegal award of a contract by the Special Initiative Department for the water supply scheme in Thatta to a private contractor.