NAB all set to withdraw Toshakhana case against Nawaz, Zardari, Gilani

ISLAMABAD: The Toshakhana case against Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Yusuf Raza Gilani is heading towards closure as the NAB has decided to withdraw the case from the Accountability Court for being below the threshold of Rs500 million.

A senior NAB source told The News that following the recent decision of the Supreme Court in the NAB amendments case, the Toshakhana case against Nawaz, Zardari and Gilani does not fall in the domain of NAB anymore. As per the NAB law (as amended), any case of alleged corruption involving less than Rs500 million does not fall in the jurisdiction of the Bureau.

The source said the NAB prosecution has decided to tell the Accountability Court hearing the case that since the alleged corruption money involved is below the threshold of Rs500 million, therefore, it should be returned.

The Supreme Court recently overturned a previous ruling that nullified amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, granting intra-court appeals filed by the federal government and other affected parties.

The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, approved the government’s appeals on the NAB amendments and declared the amendments valid. The court reinstated the changes made to the NAB laws during the previous PDM-led government.

The ruling also overturned the majority decision by former Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice (retd) Ijazul Ahsan, which had nullified the amendments. Earlier this week, the Accountability Court issued a notice to the NAB on Nawaz Sharif’s application requesting to send the reference back to the Bureau.

In his petition, Nawaz Sharif through his counsel adopted the stance that following the restoration of the amendment NAB Ordinance 1999 by the Supreme Court, the reference does not fall under the ambit of NAB. Keeping in view the jurisdiction, it was said, the Toshakahana reference should be sent back to NAB.

The NAB had filed the Toshakhana reference against Zardari, Sharif, Gilani, and others for allegedly acquiring three vehicles, including two BMWs and a Toyota Lexus, gifted by some foreign countries.