Rs8bn suspicious transactions: IHC extends Zardari's interim bail

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday extended interim pre-arrest bail of former president Asif Ali Zardari in a case pertaining to a suspicious transaction of Rs8 billion.

A division bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani was hearing Zardari’s petition seeking confirmation of his pre-arrest bail in the case. The court extended his interim bail until November 5.

During the hearing, the court directed NAB prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar to provide a copy of arrest warrants issued by the anti-corruption watchdog against the PPP co-chairman to his lawyer Farooq H Naek.

The prosecutor said the case was at an inquiry stage, due to which the warrants could not be issued against Zardari earlier. However, he said the bureau has now collected sufficient incriminating material against the accused.

Naek said that his client has already been granted bail by this court in this case. When asked about the former president’s condition, he replied that his client had been undergoing treatment in a Karachi hospital until yesterday; however, he didn’t have any latest update on his health.

The court had granted pre-arrest interim bail to the former president in this case on June 18, 2019.