Zardari indictment on July 6

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court Islamabad on Friday gave new date to indict former president Asif Ali Zardari and others in Park Lane reference on July 6 and directed the accused to appear before court through video link.

Accountability court Judge issued directives for making arrangements to enable the PPP co-chairman and other accused residing in Karachi, who are unable to appear before the court due to the coronavirus pandemic, to appear through video link on the next hearing.

During hearing Zardari’s lawyer Farooq H Naek filed an application seeking exemption from personal appearance in (Friday) hearing. He stated that it is difficult for a senior citizen like his client to travel to Islamabad due to vulnerability in the wake of the coronavirus.

He recalled former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani was diagnosed with the coronavirus after he appeared in a court.

At this, the judge told the lawyer that he too was appearing despite the contagion and asked if his life was not dear to him. “If you are appearing, ask Asif Ali Zardari to appear as well,” he insisted.

The court further questioned if the former president was in a hospital, to which Farooq H Naek replied that health experts had asked him to stay in hospital because of the pandemic but he is at his Karachi residence.

According to NAB, Asif Ali Zardari was allegedly running a fake front company by the name of Parthenon as a shareholder in Park Lane properties. A loan worth Rs1.5 billion was taken from the bank and transferred to the company account in a private bank.