Zardari furnishes surety bonds in money-laundering case

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday furnished surety bonds of Rs two million to secure interim pre-arrest bail in a money-laundering case.

Zardari, who has been named in the alleged money laundering through fake bank accounts, appeared before a banking court here along with his legal counsel Farooq Naik and furnished surety bonds.

Yesterday, the court approved pre-arrest interim bail for the former president in the case against a surety of Rs two million.

On August 17, the banking court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants of the former president and other suspects over their absence from the trial proceedings.

Subsequently, on August 18, PPP co-chairman obtained a protective bail from the Islamabad High Court which directed him to appear before the relevant court before September 3.

Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur had appeared before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team in Islamabad, on August 28, in fake accounts case and faced grilling from the investigators for around 38 minutes.

The FIA officials handed over a questionnaire to the sibling duo after the questioning.

The lawyer of the former president, however, denied the reports of questioning to his client and handing him over a questionnaire.

Zardari and Ms Talpur appeared before the FIA after fourth summon in a case pertaining to fake bank accounts. They had not appeared before the FIA after three previous summons.