NAB court hears Thatta water supply reference against Zardari, others

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad has approved the plea of accused persons, former president Asif Ali Zardari and Anwar Majeed, for exemption from personal appearance in Thatta water supply reference, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The accountability court’s judge Azam Khan heard the Thatta water supply reference against the former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and other accused.

The counsels of Zardari and Majeed filed pleas regarding their exemption from personal appearance in the hearing which was accepted by the accountability court. The counsel also pleaded to postpone the hearing due to elections of Supreme Court Bar.

Read: Asif Ali Zardari indicted Park Lane, Thatta water supply references

Judge Azam Khan questioned the prosecution about the production of the witness of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The prosecutor replied that NAB’s witness Ali Raza is present in the hearing.

The court ordered to record the statement of the witnesses.

The lawyers of co-accused argued the documents presented by the NAB witness Ali Raza and said that the records were not prepared by the witness.

The court also recorded testimonies of two more witnesses presented by the prosecution in the case. The third witness Tariq Majeed told the court that he is performing duties as accounts’ officer at Tharparkar municipal committee. Tariq Majeed also submitted records to the court related to the corruption reference.

After the third witness recorded his statement, the lawyers pleaded the court to adjourn the hearing.

Later, the judge adjourned the hearing till November 6 and summoned two more witnesses of NAB including Zulfiqar Ali and Nadeem Ahmed.

It is to be mentioned here that the court had decided to indict Asif Ali Zardari in Thatta water supply reference on August 4. All the accused were also summoned on the same day for further proceedings.

According to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the instant case pertains to illegal award of a contract by the Special Initiative Department for water supply scheme, Thatta to a private contractor, Harish & Co.