ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has challenged the jurisdiction of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Accountability Court in the Toshakhana reference case involving him, President Asif Ali Zardari, and former Premier Nawaz Sharif.
The hearing was held on Tuesday in Accountability Court No. 3, presided over by Judge Abid Sajjad.
Gilani’s lawyer argued that with the recent restoration of certain amendments, NAB and the Accountability Court no longer have the legal authority to proceed with this case.
In response, Judge Abid Sajjad issued a notice to NAB, asking it to clarify whether the Toshakhana case falls within its jurisdiction. The court has adjourned the hearing until September 26, awaiting NAB’s reply.
NAB’s reference accuses Gilani of granting unlawful benefits to Zardari and Sharif by allowing them to retain vehicles gifted by foreign states and dignitaries.
The reference alleges that Gilani manipulated the rules for submitting and disposing of these gifts in the Toshakhana, enabling Zardari and Sharif to keep the vehicles in exchange for a nominal payment of 15% of their actual value.
The reference further claims that Zardari made payments for the vehicles through the Omni Group’s chief executive and his son, with no clear justification for the transactions. NAB’s investigation contends that these payments were linked to illegitimate laundered funds benefiting the accused.
It also accuses Gilani, in collusion with Zardari and Sharif, of illegally altering the rules governing the acceptance and disposal of gifts, which explicitly prohibit recipients from purchasing vehicles. This alleged misuse of authority is said to have caused significant financial losses to the national exchequer.
According to NAB, Zardari, during his presidency, accepted vehicles as gifts from the United Arab Emirates in 2005 and from Libya in 2008 but failed to report or deposit them in the Toshakhana, prioritizing personal gain over legal obligations.
Additionally, Nawaz Sharif, who held no public office in 2008, is accused of illegally benefiting in collaboration with Gilani by bypassing the established procedures for accepting and disposing of state gifts.
