Zardari, sister appear before banking court in money laundering case

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur appeared before a banking court on Tuesday in connection to a case related to money laundering through fake bank accounts.

As the protective bails of both Zardari and Talpur end today, the sibling were present in the court as the hearing began against them.

Others accused in the case including Omni Group chairman Anwar Majeed and his three sons also appeared before the court.

During the hearing, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) prosecutor objected to a request to unfreeze the accounts of those accused in the case.

Moreover, the court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for five absconders including Hussain Lotha, Arif Khan, and Azam Wazir Khan and adjourned the hearing till October 16.

A day earlier, the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) apprised the Supreme Court of a significant development in its probe about detecting 33 more accounts, which were reportedly used in money laundering scam involving Asif Ali Zardari and others.

JIT head submitted the investigation report to the Supreme Court during the hearing of money laundering through fake bank accounts case.

The report read that 33 more dubious accounts have been detected that are under scrutiny and 334 individuals were involved in transactions. Moreover, 210 companies were found to be suspicious, out of which 47 companies were related to the Omni Group, the report detailed.

The case background

Zardari and his sister were among over a dozen suspects declared absconders in the money-laundering scam.

In the FIA list, Anwar Majeed and his son’s names appeared on top of the list while those of Zardari and Talpur were on the 19th and 20th number, respectively.

According to the FIR registered by FIA, transactions of billions of rupees were made into suspicious accounts, including the one owned by the PPP leaders, the Zardari Group, which is accused of receiving Rs 15 million of the laundered money.

In December 2016, the Pakistan Rangers conducted raids at the Karachi office of the Omni Group of Companies and the residence of its owner Anwar Majeed, a close aid of Zardari, and confiscated record allegedly related with money laundering.