Zardari to arrive in Islamabad ahead of accountability court's hearing

ISLAMABAD: Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari will arrive in Islamabad ahead of a hearing of money laundering case scheduled on Wednesday (tomorrow), citing sources, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Asif Ali Zardari will arrive in Islamabad along with her daughter Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari today, said sources, adding that a legal team will meet the former president in the federal capital.

Earlier on September 1, an accountability court in Islamabad had decided to indict former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur in the mega-money laundering reference on September 9.

The accountability court Judge Azam had conducted hearing on mega money laundering case and decided to indict Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur, others on September 9.

Read: Zardari’s close aide gets bail on medical grounds, name to be put on ECL

The AC accepted exemption pleas of Asif Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur in money laundering case and adjourned the hearing till September 9.

It is pertinent to mention here that an accountability court will also indict former president Asif Ali Zardari in the Toshakhana reference on Sept 9.

Mega laundering case

Zardari, his sister and other accused are facing charges of laundering more than Rs35 billion through fake bank accounts. Zardari’s close aides Hussain Lawai and Anwar Majeed have also been nominated in the scam.

Read: Court seeks arguments on Zardari’s plea for quashing NAB case

Hussain Lawai, who is said to be a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari, facing inquiry in an Rs35 billion money laundering case, was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on July 6 in 2018.

FIA officials say, 32 people, including Lawai, are being investigated for laundering billions of rupees through fictitious bank accounts.