Court turns down Zardari's plea for quashing references

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad accountability court on Wednesday turned down former president Asif Ali Zardari’s plea for quashing three supplementary references against him.

The court announced its verdict in the Park Lane, mega money laundering, and Thatta water supply references. The PPP co-chairman can’t be acquitted in the fake bank accounts references, observed the court, summoning him and other accused to appear on September 28.

The court will now indict the accused in the three references.

 Read More: Asif Zardari challenges decision of NAB court, seeks acquittal in Park Lane reference

Accountability Judge Azam Khan had earlier this month deferred indictment of the PPP co-chairman in the Park Lane supplementary reference after he moved an application requesting deferment of framing of charges until his plea for quashing the reference is decided.

Asif Ali Zardari was indicted in the main Park Lane case on August 10. However, he is yet to be indicted in the supplementary reference that the national graft buster filed against him and 19 other accused in the case.

Read more: Court rejects acquittal plea of Zardari in Park Lane reference

According to NAB, the Park Lane company was used as a “front company” to siphon off ill-gotten money. He along with his sister Faryal Talpur has also been named in the money laundering case involving Rs4.4 billion embezzlement.

The Thatta water supply company case pertains to illegal award of a contract by the Sindh Special Initiative Department for water supply scheme in Thatta to a private contractor, Harish & Co.