Gilani says Nawaz passport controversy only politics

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court resumed hearing of Toshakhana reference against former president Asif Ali Zardari and ex-premier Yousaf Raza Gilani. Gilani appeared in court for the hearing, whereas Zardari applied for exemption from appearance because of ill-health. During hearing Wednesday, NAB Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar said the defendants keep asking for more time to present their arguments. If they don’t present their arguments then the court should do away their right to do so.

The judge said they will make a decision after looking at all the legal aspects of the case. While talking to media outside the court, Gilani said they can’t make any demand from the Pakistan Army and such a demand would be unconstitutional. To a question about Nawaz Sharif’s passport issue, he said passport is nothing but politics, adding, the PDM makes united decisions. In Toshakhana reference, the NAB has accused former prime minister Gilani of illegally allotting cars to Nawaz and Zardari. The NAB has alleged that Zardari and Nawaz obtained cars from the Toshakhana by paying only 15% of the price of the luxury vehicles and Gilani had facilitated the process of giving them the vehicles. According to the reference, Zardari had received armoured vehicles as gift from the UAE and Libya between 2005 and 2008 but didn’t report the gifts or deposited them in the Toshakhana. The Toshakhana is an official treasury where gifts from foreign dignitaries or heads of state are deposited. Two former prime ministers Nawaz and Gilani have also been nominated in the reference.