NAB gets 11-day physical remand of Zardari

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Tuesday granted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) an 11-day physical remand of former president Asif Ali Zardari in the money laundering and fake accounts reference.

The NAB produced the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman before Accountability Court-II Judge Arshad Malik amid elaborate security arrangements around Islamabad’s judicial complex. The NAB had initially sought a 14-day physical remand so they could investigate Zardari further.

NAB’s Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi argued the NAB chairman (Javed Iqbal) has the authority to issue arrest warrants against any suspect — even if the cases are already referred to the courts.

It is the case’s investigation officer (IO) who provides the grounds to the NAB chairman for the issuance of arrest warrants, he added. He stated Zardari was accused of “assisting the practice of opening fake accounts that were used for money laundering and receiving kickbacks”.

He told the court that a total of eight people have been arrested so far by the department in the same case. Judge Malik asked the NAB prosecutor why permission was not

sought from this court before arresting Asif Ali Zardari. “The accused had already submitted surety bonds for bail in the court.” The judge asked the NAB prosecutor to “assist the court” on the aforementioned point. The NAB prosecutor contended that Zardari’s bail had been rejected “from an upper forum”. “There was no legal restriction upon the department to get permission from this court before arresting the accused,” he said.

He told the court that Zardari’s is in good health in accordance with his medical check-up conducted after his arrest. NAB requested the court to grant 14 days physical remand of Zardari.

At this, Zardari’s counsel, Farooq H Naek, objected and asked: “What about the freedom of judiciary?” His client was in judicial custody after submission of surety bonds, he argued. He said a total of 26 people had been nominated in the NAB reference but the bureau arrested only his client.

Meanwhile, Zardari arrived at the rostrum and requested the court to allow him some extra facilities during NAB custody. He sought permission to keep a personal attendant with him as he has been suffering from diabetes and blood pressure.