Money-laundering: Zardari gets exemption from personal appearance

KARACHI: A banking court here on Tuesday granted exemption to former president Asif Ali Zardari from personal appearance in a case pertaining to money laundering of Rs35 billion through fake bank accounts. 

As the court resumed hearing into the case, PPP leader Faryal Talpur and other accused appeared before the court.

Mr Zardari through his lawyer filed an application seeking exemption from personal appearance in today’s hearing. He stated that he was busy in Islamabad owing to the presidential election and pleaded that he be allowed to skip the trial proceedings.

The judge granted the former head of state’s plea for exemption and adjourned the hearing of the case till September 25.

Last week, the court approved pre-arrest interim bail for Mr Zardari in the case against a surety of Rs two million.

On August 17, it 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.