Money laundering, Park Lane cases: Court rejects Zardari’s acquittal pleas

ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court, Islamabad, on Wednesday rejected Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari’s plea seeking acquittal in mega money laundering, Park Lane and Thatta Water Supply references.

The court announced its verdict in the Park Lane, mega money laundering, and Thatta Water Supply references. The PPP co-chairman can’t be acquitted in the fake bank accounts’ references, observed the court, summoning him and other accused to appear on September 28.

Earlier in this month, the accountability court deferred indictment of the PPP co-chairman in the Park Lane supplementary reference after he moved an application requesting deferment of framing of charges until his plea for quashing the reference is decided.

Asif Ali Zardari was indicted in the Park Lane case on August 10. However, he is yet to be indicted in the supplementary reference that the national graft buster filed against him and 19 other accused in the case.

According to NAB, the Park Lane Company was used as a “front company” to siphon off ill-gotten money. He along with his sister Faryal Talpur has also been named in the money laundering case involving Rs4.4 billion embezzlement.

The Thatta Water Supply Company case pertains to illegal award of a contract by the Sindh Special Initiative Department for water supply scheme in Thatta to a private contractor, Harish & Co.