NAB interrogates Bilawal, Zardari in three cases

ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former president Asif Ali Zardari appeared before Combined Investigation Team of the NAB Rawalpindi to record their statements in three cases against them.

“The PPP chairman and co-chairman appeared at the NAB office in Islamabad Wednesday where the CIT headed by the director general concerned asked questions from them for two hours in connection with three cases for the time being,” a statement issued by the NAB headquarters said.

According to the NAB, the CIT handed over written questionnaires to Bilawal and Zardari and they were asked to furnish reply to questions within 10 days.

The statement issued by the NAB said answers to questions would be viewed as per the law. “The decision to summon them again at the NAB will be taken in the light of replies to questions contained in the questionnaire,” the statement said, adding that inquiry against the two PPP leaders was conducted as per direct supervision of the NAB chairman.

The NAB said it believed in taking the investigations to the logical end and would continue its work to crush corruption in the country as per law without coming under pressure. The sources said the CIT handed over separate questionnaires to the two PPP leaders containing 54 questions each asking them to furnish replies to questions in 10 days. The audio and video recording of CIT session with Bilawal and Zardari was also carried out. According to sources, Bilawal told the CIT that he had nothing to do with the fake accounts while he was one-year-old when he was made shareholder of the Park Lane Estate Company. He was also hopeful that he would not be summoned again at NAB.

On the other hand, Asif Ali Zardari told CIT that he had no concern with Park Lane Estate Company when it was established. However, he said record of all transactions was available since he became director of the company in 2009.

The sources said NAB Director General Irfan Mangi, who is supervising the investigation process continued to visit the room where the CIT was holding session with father and son. Earlier, the two top PPP leaders arrived at the NAB Office in two separate vehicles, accompanied by Aseefa Zardari and another party leader Rukhsana Bangash.

Meanwhile, the hide and seek between the Islamabad Police and PPP workers continued between the Aabpara Chowk and NAB headquarters. The workers-police clash led to injuries to three cops and several workers.

The PPP workers, however, managed to reach in front of the NAB headquarters with arrival of their leaders there. According to the Islamabad Police, around 50 PPP workers were nabbed and later shifted to different police stations. However, the PPP leaders claimed that around 200 party workers who were missing have been arrested while a number of others injured.