An accountability court has ruled that former President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani will be indicted in the Toshakhana Case on Sept 9.
An accountability court has selected September 9 framing charges against former president Asif Ali Zardari in the Toshakhana reference#GeoNews
— Geo English (@geonews_english) August 17, 2020
Accountability Judge Asghar Ali halted the process to declare former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a proclaimed offender over his perpetual absence from the court’s proceedings in the case until Aug 25 after he was informed that the PML-N supreme leader’s arrest warrants have been challenged in the IHC.
The accountability court also summoned Omni Group owner Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed, named in the case, to appear on next hearing on Sept 9 for indictment and directed all accused to furnish a surety bond of Rs2 million each.
Read More: NAB’s order in Toshakhana case: Is Nawaz Sharif going to be arrested soon?
Wearing a face mask and face shield as part of measures to keep coronavirus at bay, the former president turned up in court as Accountability Judge Asghar Ali resumed hearing the case.
Over the course of the hearing, Zardari’s lawyer Farooq H Naek complained to the judge that they had considerable difficulty reaching court because of police erecting barriers and setting up check posts on all roads leading to it.
Toshakhana case: Asif Ali Zardari appears before Accountability Court August 17, 2020 https://t.co/GVbkuiXFqS pic.twitter.com/feHLW8mnNV
— Times of lsIamabad (@TimesofIslambad) August 17, 2020
At this, the accountability judge said he too faced hardships while reaching court as he was stopped at a check post after which he had to take a u-turn, using an alternative route to reach there. He said he would take up the issue with the administration so as to prevent such a situation in future.
PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, his sister Aseefa Bhutto and some party leaders also reached the accountability court to show solidarity with the former president. The party leadership had directed its members of the Parliament and People’s Lawyers Forum to reach Islamabad.
As part of stringent security measures, police blocked all roads leading to court by placing barriers and barbed wire. Some party leaders and supporters complained of being denied access to the court.
Toshakhana case
The NAB had filed a reference with the accountability court against the former heads of the state for not depositing luxury vehicles and valuable gifts received from the foreign leaders in the treasury.
NAB sources said that former president Asif Ali Zardari had only paid 15 percent of the total cost of the vehicles received as gifts through fake accounts.
Read More:Â How to bring Nawaz Sharif back to Pakistan?
Zardari had received expensive cars as a gift from Libya and the UAE as president but did not deposit it in the Tosha Khana, the sources added.
Nawaz Sharif and Yousaf Raza Gillani had also received cars as a gift from different foreign leaders as prime ministers and used it themselves instead of depositing them in the treasury.