Not afraid of arrest, says Bilawal Bhutto

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that he is not afraid of being taken under arrest, he will speak more bravely if such an attempt is made against him, ARY News reported on Monday.

Addressing a news conference in Karachi, the PPP leader refused to appear before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi on December 24 (Tuesday), adding the notice served to him by the anti-corruption watchdog is “unconstitutional and illegal”.

“I am not afraid of being detained, but will speak more aggressively if an attempt made to arrest me,” Bilawal cautioned.

The PPP leader alleged that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was targeting opposition political leaders, adding that anti-corruption watchdog was defaming politicians through baseless allegations.

It must be noted that the NAB Rawalpindi has summoned the party chairman in a fake accounts probe for JV-Opal-225, a joint venture of Zardari Group Ltd.

The PPP chairman has been asked to appear before the NAB Rawalpindi office on December 24 (Tuesday) at 11:00 am.

According to sources, the Opal-225 (referred in tax record is a joint investment of Zardari Group Ltd) was initiated on October 15, 2011. In 2009, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his father became shareholders of the company.

Allegedly, billions of rupees were transferred to the company’s accounts via fake bank accounts. The company took out loans of billions of rupees from the banks.

Fake Bank Accounts Case

The anti-graft watchdog is conducting investigations in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the fake accounts case wherein it forwarded the joint investigation team (JIT) report with directions to investigate and file references.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, his aunt Faryal Talpur, former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, provincial minister Anwar Siyal, others are among as many as 172 accused in the fake accounts case.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had granted bail to the former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on medical grounds.

A two-member special bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) comprising Chief Justice IHC, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamir Farooq heard the bail plea of Asif Ali Zardari seeking his release on medical grounds.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC), in its December 17 judgment, had also approved the interim bail of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) central leader Faryal Talpur in fake bank accounts case.