AC defers Zardari’s indictment in Park Lane case till July 14

ISLAMABAD: An Accountability Court has extended the hearing of former president Asif Ali Zardari in the Park Lane case till 14th July.

AC Judge Azam Khan conducted the hearing. Asif Ali Zardari’s lawyer Farooq H Naek earlier today filed a last-minute petition against the proceedings in which he stated that the indictment should be stopped as the proceedings against the former president was not legally justified.

He said in the petition that loan defaulting was a matter concerning the State Bank of Pakistan. “When someone defaults on a loan, the State Bank governor approves a reference against them and a notice is sent,” the petition stated.

Read more: Toshakhana reference: Court issues Zardari’s bailable arrest warrant

During the proceeding, Judge Azam Khan asked Naek why he waited till the last moment to file this petition when he knew the indictment process was almost complete. Naek asked the judge to issue a notice to NAB on the new petition. NAB also asked the judge to issue the notice and vowed to submit its reply within 30 minutes so the indictment could proceed.

However, the judge postponed the indictment and set a hearing for the new petition on the designated day i.e. on 14th July.

During the last hearing, the charges against the accused could not be filed and the court summoned him to appear before the bench. The court also instructed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to make arrangements for filling the charges.