ISLAMABAD, May 10: The Islamabad district and sessions judge on Wednesday summoned former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband Asif Ali Zardari for allegedly filing fake declarations before the Election Commission in 1995.

According to the National Accountability Bureau, the action has been taken on two petitions filed by it.

The court directed the leaders to appear on June 3.

The judge, while admitting the bureau’s complaints, ordered: “I am satisfied that a prima facie case is made out under Section 82 of the Representation of People Act 1976 read with Section 199 of the PPC against the accused Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari. I order issue of their summons for June 3, 2006, for appearance before this court.”

A statement issued by the bureau said Ms Bhutto has admitted during the last hearing of a money laundering case in Geneva that she owned assets and properties abroad, including a house at 2, Camden Hill Court, London, in 1995 and 1996, when she submitted the declarations of assets before the chief election commissioner.

NAB claimed that Ms Bhutto managed her properties abroad through trust structures, which she used for tax purposes.

It accused Mr Zardari of claiming in the Isle of Man High Court that he owned the Rockwood Estate while had filed a declaration of assets before the CEC in 1995 in which he did not mention the property.

It said in 1998 in the Bow Street magistrate’s court in London, Mr Zardari had denied any such ownership.

People’s Party Parliamentarians spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the inquiry was yet another attempt to tarnish the image of the former prime minister.

“If Mohtarma Bhutto has mis-declared assets before the CEC as is alleged then it is for the chief election commissioner to give notice to her and seek her comments. It is strange that NAB should complain to the sessions judge and even stranger that the judge should promptly issue summons,” he said.

“This is nothing but a continuation of the shameless abuse of judicial process that the regime has been resorting to for achieving its political agenda,” he said.

“Frustrated with the refusal of Ms Bhutto to give up her fight against military dictatorship and not take part in the next election and to disguise its frustration, the regime has resorted to yet another slander campaign,” he said.