Asif Zardari gets bail before arrest in New York property case

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability court on Tuesday granted bail to former president Asif Ali Zardari in the New York property case, ARY News reported. 

The verdict was reserved by the court earlier in the day after hearing arguments from both sides.

The hearing was presided over by AC judge Muhammad Bashir.

During the hearing, Zardari’s lawyer Farooq H. Naek in his arguments said before the court that the NAB has been investigating NY property case against his client. NAB chairman said ‘so far’ no need to issue arrest warrants for Asif Ali Zardari, he added.

He appealed to the court to approve the permanent bail of his client. “We will ask the NAB what this ‘so far’ means,” the court remarked.

Responding to the counsel, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor told that they have not issued arrest warrant of the former president yet, therefore, the petition should be turned down.

Later, the court reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.

Later, talking to newsmen after the court appearance, Asif Ali Zardari said he is hopeful for in-house change.

Read more: IHC extends Asif Zardari’s interim bail in New York property case

The NAB had served Zardari a notice along with a questionnaire to provide information about his Belair apartment, 524 East 72nd Street, 37F, Manhattan, New York, United States. He had subsequently obtained pre-arrest bail from the Islamabad High Court to avoid his arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

However, Asif Ali Zardari denied owning the expensive apartment in Manhattan. “I had sold out the apartment the same year I purchased it,” the sources quoted him as saying in the reply he filed through his lawyers.