An accountability court (AC) on Friday returned the four references registered under the fake bank accounts case against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Hussian Lawai and others, to National Accountability Bureau (NAB). According to media reports, AC Judge Muhammad Basher took up the pleas of the accused in the references. Asif Ali Zardari’s lawyer, Farooq H Naek and the NAB prosecutor appeared before the court. Naek in his arguments before the court said after the amendments in the NAB Ordinance, a case cannot be registered on an amount less than Rs500 million.

The judge returned four references including, Plot Allotment, Sindh Bank and Pink Residency registered under fake bank accounts to the NAB.  It is pertinent to mention here that in May, the National Assembly approved amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 in a bid to curtail the powers of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). According to the bill corruption cases less than Rs500 million cannot be taken up by the accountability courts.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP