Zardari, 18 others summoned in Park Lane reference

Court also issues notice to NA speaker in rental power project cases

ISLAMABAD:

An accountability court has summoned former president Asif Ali Zardari and 18 others in the Park Lane reference regarding fake accounts on the next hearing.

Judge Muhammad Bashir heard the Park Lane reference.

NAB prosecutor and lawyer Arshad Tabraiz appeared in the court. Tabreez said that Zardari was not the director of Park Lane when the agreement was signed.

The court summoned all 19 accused, including Zardari, Muhammad Iqbal, Yunus Qadwai, Iqbal Khan Noori, Hussain Lawai, Abdul Ghani Majeed, Khawaja Anwar Majeed and M Farooq Abdullah, and adjourned the hearing till Dec 20.

Meanwhile, the accountability court again summoned all the accused, including former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, on Dec 14, in the rental power projects reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau. Judge Bashir, who heard the case, asked that why the defence lawyers were not giving arguments over acquittal pleas of their clients.

Defence lawyer Tabraiz said that the applications were filed under Section 265D of the NAB law. “They are not giving arguments because the Supreme Court has barred the accountability courts to take a final decision on the references,” he added.

The court then summoned the absent accused again on Dec 14 and adjourned the case.