Fake accounts investigation: SHC refuses Zardari’s plea to stay case transfer

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday refused former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur’s petition for staying a banking court’s decision which allowed the transfer of the fake bank accounts case to Rawalpindi, Geo News reported.

A two-member bench comprising SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh and Justice Omar Sial heard a petition filed by Zardari and Talpur challenging the banking court’s March 15 ruling. The application filed by the siblings stated the banking court’s decision was not in accordance with law, requesting the court to declare the ruling null and void.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the bench granted a 10-day protective bail to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman and his sister. Zardari’s counsel, Farooq H Naek, maintained that the transfer of the case contradicted a Supreme Court verdict passed in January. He argued the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had “misinterpreted” the apex court’s decision in the case and stressed the top court had not ordered the case be transferred to Rawalpindi.

The NAB chairman submitted the transfer request in the banking court after the Supreme Court had wrapped up the fake accounts case, Naek told the bench.

Turning down Zardari’s request to issue a stay order against the banking court’s ruling, the bench issued notices to the NAB prosecutor and director general of NAB Karachi office, ordering them to respond within a week. The court further said a decision on the matter would be taken after listening to all parties in the case.The bench also dismissed Naek’s request to summon the entire record of the case, and adjourned the hearing till March 26.