Prosecutor advised NAB to withdraw pleas against Zardari’s acquittal

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau’s Additional Prosecutor General (APG) Jahanzeb Bharwana said Monday he had advised the bureau to withdraw the appeals against former president Asif Ali Zardari’s acquittal in three references as the relevant record was missing.

He stated this before the Islamabad High Court bench headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah. Bharwana stated that the NAB could reconstruct the record if the court allows. The court asked how NAB could do that if the original record is lost.

Bharwana replied that he had given his legal opinion to the NAB chairman to withdraw the appeals. He added that he was directed to pursue the case, and now he has been directed to seek adjournment to leave the matter to be taken up after appointment of NAB’s chairman.

The court adjourned the case until July 20. The NAB has challenged Zardari’s acquittal in ARY Gold, Ursus Tractors and SGS-Cotecna references in 2014 and 2015.