- Judge reserves decision after hearing arguments and is likely to pronounce verdict on Oct 14
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Accountability Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on the question as to whether refer the Toshakhana reference against President Asif Ali Zardari, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani back to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Accountability Court Judge Abida Sajjad is likely to announce the reserved verdict on October 14 the verdict on the Toshakhana vehicle reference involving former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif, Yousuf Raza Gilani, and President Asif Ali Zardari, among others.
After hearing the arguments from all parties, Judge Abida Sajjad reserved the verdict to be pronounced later.
During the hearing, Nawaz Sharif’s counsel Qazi Misbahul Hassan, and pleader, Rana Irfan, along with Asif Ali Zardari’s counsel, Farooq H Naek, presented their arguments.
Farooq Naek read out the new NAB Amendment Law in the court, arguing that under the amended law, the case no longer falls under the jurisdiction of the accountability court.
He pointed out that the total value involved in the case is Rs80.5 million only, which is below the threshold of Rs500 million, and hence, it should be referred back to the NAB chairman.
Judge Abida Sajjad questioned whether all parties agreed that the court lacked jurisdiction in the case. Farooq H Naek responded by highlighting that Zardari had not been granted presidential immunity when the case was initially brought forward.
In response, the NAB prosecutor stated that if a case is outside the court’s jurisdiction, the merits cannot be discussed and the court must decide on the referral. The prosecutor said that the case against Zardari cannot proceed due to presidential immunity, and suggested that it be referred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Meanwhile, Qazi Misbahul Hassan reminded the court that a similar case had previously been returned to NAB and later came back to the same court following a decision by former Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial.
The NAB prosecutor added that the court had already granted presidential immunity to Zardari and that the case should remain on hold for Zardari while being sent back for Nawaz Sharif.
The NAB’s reference claims that Zardari received luxury cars as gifts from the governments of Libya and the UAE, which he failed to submit to the Toshakhana. In Nawaz’s case, NAB alleges he received a car from the Toshakhana during the PPP government in 2008, despite not holding any official position at that time.
In May, the accountability court had halted proceedings against Zardari due to his immunity as the head of state. Previously, NAB cleared Nawaz in this vehicle reference, stating that the car in question was not part of the Toshakhana when he purchased it.
The findings indicated a friendly country had gifted a car to Nawaz in 1997, which he deposited in the Toshakhana, and that he later bought the same car from the federal transport pool, not through a fake bank account.
