Court turns down Zardari, Faryal’s pleas for A-class facilities in jail

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court Tuesday turned down the pleas of PPPP President Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur seeking A-class facilities in jail.

Both the accused are behind bars in the fake bank accounts reference. The court, however, allowed them to use air conditioner, refrigerator, television, radio, iPad, cooker, kettle, toaster, torch, and other additional facilities. They were also allowed to keep an attendant at their own expense.

Zardari and Talpur’s lawyers argued before the court that the constitution guaranteed facilities to a former president for life. The judge was told that Zardari was a heart patient and the court had given him permission to keep an attendant when he was in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Referring to the past references, Zardari’s lawyer argued that the court had also granted A-Class facilities to his client in jail before his election as the president of Pakistan.

The court was also told that Zardari was a Member of the National Assembly. “He is on judicial remand, in the custody of the court, and it is not an executive matter. It is the court’s discretion to extend A-Class facilities to him in jail,” the lawyer further argued.

Faryal Talpur’s lawyers requested the court to grant transit remand of his client, as she wanted to attend the Sindh Assembly session. NAB Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar objected to the plea, saying an accused could not file a petition with a court for transit remand. He told the court that the Sindh Assembly Speaker contacted the provincial home department and his orders were enough for the competent authority and the court had nothing to do with it. He told the judge that that the plea for transit remand was non-maintainable. “The petitioner didn’t give an application to the home department,” he told the judge adding that for getting better class in jail, the accused had to submit an application to IG Jails and he was bound to forward the plea to the Home Department within 24 hours.

“Now better facilities are available in better class,” he added.

The court dismissed the plea of the two siblings to get A-class facilities in jail. However, it allowed them to use air conditioner, refrigerator, television, radio, iPad, cooker, kettle, toaster, torch, and other additional facilities. They were also allowed to keep attendants at their own expense. The court also directed Faryal Talpur to seek transit remand through the IG Jails.