Panama JIT officer to supervise fake account case against Zardari

ISLAMABAD: Director General of National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) Rawalpindi division, Irfan Mangi, who was a member of the joint investigation team (JIT) in the Panama papers case against ousted premier Nawaz Sharif will supervise the fake accounts case involving former president Asif Ali Zardari and others.

Sources relayed that Chairman NAB (retd) Justice Javed Iqbal referred the fake bank accounts and money laundering case to the bureau’s Rawalpindi office.

As per the Supreme Court’s directions, a reference had to be filed against Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman  and other top PPP leaders in the accountability court of Rawalpindi or Islamabad and not  Karachi.

The same officer who was part of JIT in Panama Papers case will oversee the matter against Zardari and other accused

It is pertinent to note that the JIT report had pointed out Zardari Group and Omni Group’s involvement in the mega money laundering scam. Following the JIT findings, the federal government on Dec 28 placed a travel ban on 172 people, including  Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah and other PPP leaders and businessmen.

However, later the names of Bilawal and Murad Ali Shah were removed from the no-fly list in light of the apex court’s order.