AC defers announcement of reserved judgement

FAZAL SHER

ISLAMABAD: An Accountability Court hearing multi-billion-rupee fake bank accounts case on Friday deferred announcement of its reserved judgment with respect to former president Asif Ali Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur’s plea to unfreeze her bank accounts till March 27.

Accountability Court judge Muhammad Azam Khan, while hearing the case regarding unfreezing of Talpur’s bank accounts reserved its judgment during the previous hearing.

During the hearing, the court sought further assistance from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) at some points with respect to Talpur’s personal accounts, and adjourned the case till March 27.

The court observed that the NAB prosecutor said that further assistance was needed in the case.

The NAB official said that the prosecutor of the case was busy in another case, therefore the court should grant him some time. The judge said that the concern prosecutor should appear before the court, and give his point of view regarding accounts of accused.

Further clarification of some points related to Talpur’s personal accounts is mandatory, the judge said.

The court approved the NAB request and adjourned hearing.

During the previous hearing, the NAB prosecutor, while objecting to Talpur’s request, plead the court that Talpur’s application does not fulfill merit therefore it should be rejected.

He further argued before the court that the bureau has frozen those suspected transaction carried out.

He said that Talpur is the director and signatory of Zardari Group of Companies.

Transactions have been taken place from fake accounts into the accounts of Zardari Group of Companies, he said.

Talpur’s Counsel Farooq H Naek told the court that his client has not requested to unfreeze the accounts of Zardari Group of Companies, and filed the application to unfreeze her personal accounts.