50
ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Wednesday acquitted former president Asif Ali Zardari in the polo ground corruption reference, DawnNews reported.
The court announced the verdict saying the accused had not been proven guilty so far.
It further stated that evidence against the former president was not sufficient for further proceedings.
This reference builds upon the construction of a polo ground along with ancillary works at the Prime Minister House, which NAB says are illegal and in violation of the rights and privileges that were afforded to Zardari.
In February, the court had reserved its judgment on the application of the former president seeking acquittal in the corruption reference.
The reference filed in 2000 alleged that the polo ground at the Prime Minister House was constructed during the second tenure of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on the verbal orders of her husband Asif Ali Zardari to CDA chairmen Saeed Mehdi and Shafi Sehwani at an estimated cost of Rs52.29 million.
The NAB in the reference nominated the two former CDA chairmen as the principal accused. It was alleged that both the former CDA chiefs got sheds constructed and carried out landscaping in a portion of the Prime Minister House and converted it into a polo ground.
The other references filed against Zardari are:
SGS: This corruption case is the continuance of a reference filed in 1997 that accused the late Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Zardari to have gained off a contract between the SGS and the government.
ARY: This reference revolves around granting of trade licenses to ARY Traders for importing gold and silver which NAB says has caused losses to the treasury.
Ursus tractors: This reference deals with alleged corruption during the import of Russian and Polish tractors.
Cotecna: This case is about the award of a contract to the Swiss company after allegedly receiving six per cent bribe on the revenue proceeds.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (50) Closed
May 28, 2014 02:32pm
.. but of course ...
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 02:33pm
great..pakistan now corrupt free country
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 02:33pm
He is clean. Thanks to the power of democracy.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 02:33pm
Oh man... Look at this smile !! :)
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 02:46pm
Nawaz & Zardari are hand in glove. Friendly prosecution always leads to acquittal.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 02:52pm
The grin on Zardari's face gives it all away!
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 02:52pm
Catch me if you can!
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 02:54pm
For more than 60years pakistan has been building its military muscles in order to secure pak's geographical and idealogical boundries at the stake of fundamental needs of its citizenry.now time has changed.only economic uplift can secure and strenghten it inernaly n xternaly
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 02:58pm
4 more than 60years pakistan has'n building its military muscles in order to secure pak's geographical and idealogical boundries at the stake of fundamental needs of its citizenry.only economic uplift can secure and strenghten it inernaly n xternaly
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 03:02pm
Proceedings should be initiated against Chairman NAB for bringing unsubstantiated case against Mr. Zardari. I am no fan of him but he has to be treated as a human being first.
For years, his media trial was done, and if there was not sufficient evidence (whether he was innocent or not), there are people responsible for starting this fiasco.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 03:09pm
Had pakistan stressed
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 03:10pm
It was but natural when u have the PPP's person as leader of opposition and everything has been settled before the election. 5 years of PPP and and 5 years for PMLN. You dont touch me and I will not touch you. Both are angels.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 03:10pm
In pakistan, Law stands only for the poor
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 03:13pm
lolz..friendly opposition is an investment, it pays guaranteed return!
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 03:16pm
Surprise are we? This call Pakistani Democracy
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 03:21pm
So much for all those that cried corruption for years and years. Actually, these cases may have benefitted PPP opponents politically but union of ex-CJP and some other powerful actors (one media group, for example) against PPP did huge damage to the country in the last 5 years as the last government was not allowed to do something for resolving power crises.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 04:02pm
Congrats Zardari.You are our pride.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 04:22pm
shame on us!
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 04:23pm
This is a clear example of the justice system in Pakistan...law applies to poor, rich are above and beyond the law. Judicial honesty and freedom in Pakistan is a farce.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 05:19pm
Who brought in charges against Zardari ? Was it Musharraf or Nawaz Sharif ? If Zardari is innocent, then who is guilty ?
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 05:26pm
Ex CJ Iftikhar MohammadCoudhry tried his best to indict Zardari, he failed miserably, now a friendly government of Nawaz Sharif in power, who is going to try Zardari for corruption ? In the meantime, all frozen accounts of Zardari in Swiss banks have been released.In the long run, who is the winner ? Of course Zardari, he is going to the bank laughing all the way.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 05:27pm
Respect the law! Whether you like Zardari or not is besides the point. There is not enough evidence to try him, period. Hold your peace and use it in constructive manner.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 05:52pm
At least he has the courage of attending court proceedings and defending himself against all fabricated charges...How about Pervez Musharraf? Still hiding? What a shame...
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 05:52pm
@Fareed (usa). Who is clean? Ex CJ, Zardari, Nawaz, Sharif and which other politicians?
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 06:28pm
This shows that the people in Accountability Cell are either incompetent or they are dictated by Friendly Opposition. It is ridiculous to waste so much money and time and ultimately say that sufficient evidence is not available. It is basically a situation of "if there is a will there is a way", the present Government is not willing to prosecute Zardari, the way he is smiling suggests that Accountability Cell is full of incompetent officials.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 06:59pm
@jamshed khan AZ has all along been throwing challenge - rather boasting - to prove the
allegations. He knew it well that it would be rather difficult to provide "enough" evidence and
thus he did not show any worry - at least not publicly.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 07:46pm
I guess the couldn't find the polo ground
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 07:47pm
Evil genius..
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 08:09pm
The free & fair justice system of our country can only sentence the poor to jails. Recent example of that is that famous lover who held a gun to his own head & was arrested later to be sentenced to 5 years in jail. It is pathetic that a corrupt politician get away with plundering billions of Pakistani assets and gets away with it. Revolution is the solution our country needs way too desperately.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 08:18pm
@Shabbir Ahmad
Agree, none, that is the problem. They all are in the same boat, wish the boat was Titanic.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 08:23pm
Man is coated with "Teflon", nothing sticks on him , thanks to infamous NRO by military ruler, Musharraf even Swiss authorities dropped the case against him , released his frozen accounts.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 08:30pm
This is perfect definition of White-collar crimes
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 08:32pm
Nawaz and Zardari along with friendly NAB are busy in clearing their names! Defending each other corruption and taking turns at helms of power, what else they need?
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 09:18pm
Look at that face- it says it all: I have done and there is not a thing you can do about it.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 09:18pm
Don't worry he is only on 5 years holiday...
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 09:19pm
Nation of sheep will get government of wolves.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 09:19pm
Due to this "circus of justice", we have lost all respect for prosecution and the judicial system.
Either our country is free of corruption or our system is totally incapable of catching and bringing culprits to justice.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 09:20pm
@Shabbir Ahmad They are all in the bed together.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 09:22pm
He has the "you can't do nothing to me " smile. he stopped short of raising his middle finger at the time pic was taken.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 09:24pm
@A2Z
Another Choar gets away scott free. A bare face lier if there ever was one.
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 09:41pm
Yet for another time Asif Ali Zardari comes out victorious from a baseless politically initiated case. Love him or hate him, he has always respected the Law. He spent 11 important years of his life in Jail and Nawaz, Saif-ur-Rehman, Musharraf, Iftkhar Ch. Could not prove any single charge. He
Recommend
0
May 28, 2014 10:32pm
Nothing surprising. This is Pakistan.
Recommend
0
May 29, 2014 12:33am
What can we say - CORRUPT POLITICIANS = FAILED STATE. This is what the world is saying about Pakistan.
Somebody wipe that smile of his face..
Recommend
0
May 29, 2014 12:44am
Zardari has been cozy with nawaz and the courts are cozy with nawaz. all is so obvious in pakistani politics but us people just watch and vote for them again when the time comes. we dont deserve freedom or democracy, we dont value it.
Recommend
0
May 29, 2014 01:20am
Zardari to Nawaz: thank you bhai.. you kept your promise.
Recommend
0
May 29, 2014 02:40am
So it was OK to keep him imprisoned for 8 years along with physical and mental torture. However, acquittal by our formerly infallible Judiciary is easily dismissed by citing an smile in a still photograph. Heads I win, tails you lose.
Recommend
0
May 29, 2014 03:46am
Congratulations Mr Zardari. You knew this already. Without assurances and guarantees from PM Nawaz Sharif, you wont be living in Pakistan. You are very much safe and secure while democracy is there in Pakistan. Could you please do one favor when your next turn comes? Kindly tax the poor on the oxygen they breath. This will bring more money to you and at least they will die peacefully as there seem no light on the other end of the tunnel anyway.
Recommend
0
May 29, 2014 05:02am
A Chateau in France, a Sprawling House in Surrey UK, a palatial mention in Dubai, a mention in Karachi - Not bad for a man who just owned a cinema in Karachi and to top it all, president of Islamic Republic for 5 years - we should admire his entrepreneurial skills. Polo ground case was just an irksome distraction. NAB judge took care of it.
Recommend
0
May 30, 2014 08:09am
@Shahzad khan advocate , Not possible what you ask, under such a democracy. Without security economic freedom is not possible.
Recommend
0
May 30, 2014 09:51pm
Proceedings should be initiated against Chairman NAB for bringing unsubstantiated case against Mr. Zardari. I am no fan of him but he has to be treated as a human being first.For years, his media trial was done, and if there was not sufficient evidence (whether he was innocent or not), there are people responsible for starting this fiasco.
Recommend
0
