Zardari, Talpur’s interim bail extended till May 15

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday extended the pre-arrest bail of former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur till May 15 in mega money laundering and fake accounts case.

A division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani conducted hearing on the bail petitions of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders seeking extension in their interim bail. During the hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor informed the court that the bureau had issued arrest warrants for Zardari only in the Park Lane case.

The bench asked the NAB officials to submit a detailed reply and explain how many inquiries were under process against the former president.In the previous hearing, the IHC had extended the siblings’ bail until April 29 when they appeared before it for their bail extension. Zardari, his sister and other accused are facing charges of laundering more than Rs35 bil­lion through fake bank accounts. Zardari’s close aides Hussain Lawai and Anwar Majeed have also been nominated in the scam. Both of them are in judicial custody.

Last month, a banking court in Karachi had transferred the money laundering case against Zardari, Talpur and others to Rawalpindi on the request of the NAB.