Zardari gets presidential immunity in Toshakhana, Park Lane references

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has been granted presidential immunity in the Park Lane and Toshakhana references, ARY News reported.

As per details, the Accountability Court has halted the hearing of references against President Zardari, citing Article 248 of the Constitution, which grants immunity to the President.

Judge Nasir Javed issued the verdict, stating that as long as Asif Zardari remains President, no criminal proceedings can be initiated against him. The prosecution did not object to the plea, and no opposition was raised.

According to the verdict, under Article 248, no case can be filed against the President, nor can any criminal proceedings be initiated.

President Zardari’s request for presidential immunity was accepted, and the references against him have been put on hold until he remains in office.

Park Lane case

Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur and other accused face charges of corruption through fake bank accounts and embezzlement in the financial facility for Park Lane Private Limited and Parthenon (Pvt) Limited.

The Park Lane case is being investigated under different sections of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010, over Zardari’s alleged involvement in a loan and its misappropriation by Parthenon Private Limited.

A loan worth Rs 1.5 billion was taken from a bank and transferred to the company’s account in a private bank.

Toshakhana reference

The NAB had filed a reference with the accountability court against the former heads of the state for not depositing luxury vehicles and valuable gifts received from the foreign leaders in the treasury.

NAB sources said that former president Asif Ali Zardari had only paid 15 per cent of the total cost of the vehicles received as gifts through fake accounts.

Zardari had received expensive cars as a gift from Libya and the UAE as president but did not deposit it in the Tosha Khana, the sources added.

It is pertinent to mention that right after Asif Ali Zardari took oath of the Office of President of Pakistan on March 10, he filed a plea with the accountability court seeking presidential immunity in Thatta sater supply project reference.