IHC extends Zardari's interim bail in New York property case

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday extended interim bail of former president Asif Ali Zardari in New York apartment case till the next hearing, ARY News reported.

The IHC also granted Asif Ali Zardari’s miscellaneous plea for exemption from appearance in the hearing.

The high court heard the case related to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigation into the alleged property of the former president in New York.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case.

“What will be procedure of hearing of the cases and arrest by the National Accountability Bureau after promulgation of the NAB ordinance,” Chief Justice Athar Minallah questioned. “Previous procedure of NAB arrest is intact,” Zardari’s counsel Farooq H. Naek replied.

“The Parliament in the United Kingdom has powers on contempt of the parliament,” Justice Aamer Farooq said.

“The Parliament has major authority for legislation,” the chief justice said.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing till November 08.

Earlier, the NAB had served Asif Ali Zardari a notice along with a questionnaire to provide information about his Belair apartment. He had subsequently obtained pre-arrest bail from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to avoid his arrest by the 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.