PPP undecided over Zardari's appearance before SC today

ISLAMABAD: The legal team of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) remained undecided on Wednesday whether or not former President Asif Ali Zardari should appear before the Supreme Court today (Thursday).

The legal team headed by Senator Farooq H Naek held consultation till late on Wednesday and the final decision be made on Thursday morning.

When contacted Secretary General PPP-Parliamentarians Farhatullah Babar he said no decision has yet been taken. Lawyers are handling it and everything will be done according to the law.

Earlier, Zardari was advised that his personal appearance was not mandatory before the Supreme Court and instead of him, his legal team would represent him in the apex court.

Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur are among 20 suspects summoned by the SC on July 12 in relation to a money laundering scam.

The legal advisor of former Zardari, Senator Farooq H Naek will represent him in the SC. According to PPP sources, legal advisors of Zardari briefed him on the legality of issue and suggested that as per law, representation could be made through a lawyer in the SC as the apex court did not ask for the personal presence.

The FIA had also sent a summon to Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur for recording their statement in the money laundering case on Wednesday but both did not appear and were represented through junior lawyers of Senator Farooq H Naek in Karachi who submitted the reply that Zardari and his sister will appear before the investigators after July 25 general election as both are contesting in the upcoming polls.

Zardari and Talpur in their reply to the FIA stated that it is not possible to respond to queries regarding the case within a day. The PPP had already found the timing of this case particularly suspicious saying that the case that has been dredged up against Zardari and Talpur after three years ago. "It has been dragged out of cold storage two weeks before an election as a clear case of political victimisation and can be classified as pre-poll rigging," senior PPP leader said.