NAB seeks withdrawal of appeals from IHC against Asif Zardari's acquittal in four cases

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday was approached by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for withdrawal of appeals against PPP Co-chairperson and former president of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari's acquittal in four references.

The hearing for the petition has been scheduled for tomorrow.

In its application, NAB mentioned that only photocopies of the documents in the references against Zardari are on record, which has made further prosecution impossible.

The anti-graft body has submitted four separate petitions to the IHC to withdraw appeals against Zardari's acquittal by the accountability court in the SGS, Cotecna, Ursus Tractors, and ARY Gold References.

NAB also mentioned that the available documents are not in accordance with the law of evidence. It stated that further prosecution on the appeals is an impossible task; therefore, to meet the requirements of justice, the court should allow NAB to withdraw the appeals against Zardari's acquittals.

After the hearing of the reference was completed, the accountability court ordered to acquit Zardari and also approved NAB's petition to withdraw the appeals against his acquittal simultaneously.

With regard to two cases — ARY Gold reference and Ursus Tractors filed in the years 2000 and 2001 — the accountability court issued its verdict to acquit the PPP co-chair on December 12, 2014. This case was initially created in 1998.

Zardari was also acquitted by the accountability court in the Cotecna and SGS reference on November 24, 2015.