February 25, 2006	Saturday	Muharram 26, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 24: An accountability court in Rawalpindi has ordered confiscation of some land owned by Asif Ali Zardari in Sindh province for absenting himself from the trial of a case of customs duty evasion in the import of a luxury car, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said on Friday.

A NAB press release quoted an order of the Accountability Court No III as asking the district coordination officers of Sanghar, Nawabshah and Hyderabad to attach and confiscate properties in their respective districts as a consequence of Mr Zardari being declared a proclaimed offender.

A NAB source said the court had reserved its order in connection with a pending reference in what is known as the BMW car case against the husband of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on Feb 15, but had issued it on Friday.

The court order said Mr Zardari had been declared a proclaimed offender on Nov 11 last after he absented himself from the court and a non-bailable warrant for his arrest was returned as he was not found at his residence in Karachi and had gone abroad.

“Proceedings under section 88 Cr.P.C. have consequently been initiated and properties owned by (the) accused...in Hyderabad, Nawabshah and Sanghar districts are ordered to be attached/confiscated,” it said.

These properties are: Ninety-eight acres and five marlas of agricultural land in Preetamabad in Sanghar district.

Two acres of agricultural land, plot number 1, Block-B, in Nawabshah Cooperative Housing Society, and five per cent share in Deh 76 Nusret in Nawabshah district.

Nine acres and 14 marlas of land in Deh Rohuki and 39 acres and 15 marlas of land in Deh Deliwadi in Hyderabad district.