March 28, 2003	Friday	Muharram 24, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, March 27: The accountability court on Thursday adjourned the hearing in BMW reference against the jailed PPP leader, Asif Ali Zardari, till March 31.

Farooq Naek, the defence counsel, told the court that Asif Zardari neither imported the vehicle nor directed any person to import it on his behalf.

The counsel was arguing before the court on an application moved by Mr Zardari pleading to acquit him from the charges of evading duties on an imported armoured luxury BMW vehicle.

The application was filed under section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code. The counsel said the prosecution had failed to establish allegations on the basis of any evidence that the vehicle was imported by the accused.

The counsel also argued that there was nothing on record that documents on the basis of which the vehicle was imported were fabricated under the instructions of Mr Zardari.

He alleged that the reference was initiated only to hamper the release of Asif Zardari, who was bailed out in the last reference on December 15, 2001.