ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has spent over Rs400 million to investigate and pursue cases against PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari during the past 16 years.

However, the bureau appears reluctant to give details of the expenditure on the cases heard in the country and by a Swiss court.

According to sources, NAB has been pursuing cases against the former president since its inception in 1999 but he has been acquitted in four of the five corruption cases made against him.

Know more: Accountability court acquits Zardari in SGS-Cotecna case

He has been acquitted in the SGS-Cotecna pre-shipment inspection, polo ground, Ursus Tractors and ARY references.

The only case the PPP leader is still facing is about accumulation of assets and he has filed an appeal for acquittal.

NAB reluctant to give details of expenditure on cases heard in country and by a Swiss court

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government initiated in 1997-98 a case through the then Ehtesab Bureau in Switzerland, accusing the late PPP chief Benazir Bhutto and Mr Zardari of having received $60m in kickbacks in Swiss bank accounts.

In August 2003, both of them were found guilty. However, the penalties of $100‚000 and an order to return $2m to the government were suspended on appeal.

After the takeover by Gen Pervez Musharraf in 1999, the cases were transferred to NAB.

The sources said the bureau had so far spent Rs250m in pursuing the cases in Switzerland and over Rs100m in Pakistani courts. Miscellaneous expenses on the cases are said to be over Rs50m.

The expenses were made on investigation, hiring legal firms, lawyers’ fee and travel, boarding and lodging aboard.

The NAB’s spokesman Nawazish Ali Asim was not available for comment.

Talking to Dawn, the PPP’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that Mr Zardari had been kept behind bars for eight years in NAB cases which had been proved baseless.

“Those who made these cases had tried to damage our judicial system and they must examine their own conscience,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said the PPP had no plan so far to file a damages suit against NAB and those who had made fabricated cases.

On Nov 24, the Islamabad accountability court exonerated Mr Zardari from charges of using official position for pecuniary benefits in the 1998 SGS-Cotecna corruption references.

However, NAB approached the Islamabad High Court against the verdict on Dec 3.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2015