SC issues notice to Zardari, others to appear on Dec 31

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has fixed the hearing of the fake bank accounts case involving Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur for Dec 31.

A two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, will take up the case. The court issued a notice to the former president and other parties involved in the case to appear before it on Monday (Dec 31).

At the previous hearing, the apex court banned the sale, purchase and transfer of properties owned by Zardari Group and Omni Group after a Joint Investigation Team revealed that Rs42 billion was laundered through fictitious bank accounts that had also been used to bear expenses of the former president’s home.

The JIT accused Mr Zardari of mis-declaring his assets in his nomination papers submitted in the 2018 general elections and recommended filing of references against Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

The JIT members revealed that 29 fake bank accounts had been identified, which were used for money laundering. They said Rs1.2 billion had been transferred to Ms Talpur from JV Opal account and she had admitted it during her appearance before the team.

The JIT claimed the money was used to purchase properties in Tando Allhyar and Lahore.

It said that Omni Group had obtained Rs53.4 billion loans by setting up different companies since a company could not secure a loan exceeding Rs4 billion under the banking laws. Expenses of Zardari’s house were also paid through these companies, it said and added Rs2.7 million payment for sacrificial goats and some amount for pet dogs’ food had also been made by Omni Group.

Moreover, the expenses of Bilawal Houses in Karachi and Lahore were paid through fake bank accounts.