ISLAMABAD: The acting judge of the accountability court of Islamabad on Thursday reserved his ruling on an application seeking jail facilities for former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan also adjourned proceedings in the fake accounts case till Sept 19.

The accountability court on Aug 16 allowed Mr Zardari to avail facilities of air-conditioning, fridge, internet and personal attendant from his own pocket.

However, as the Adiala jail administration is not allowing the president to have these facilities even at his own expense, his legal team filed an application before the accountability court seeking initiation of contempt proceeding against the jail authorities.

In response, the jail superintendent explained in a report that the jail administration has sought the opinion of the law department on the matter. According to him, the ex-president is getting facilities of icebox for keeping medicines, TV and newspapers. Mr Zardari has also been given medical treatment and instead of deploying an exclusive attendant, he is being looked after by the medical staff round the clock.

The report says for provision of air conditioning facilities, the jail administration is awaiting advice of the Punjab government.

During the court’s proceeding, Mr Zardari approached the rostrum and said that he was earlier provided air conditioning facilities in jail but this time despite the court’s directives the jail administration was not providing him these facilities.

Mr Zardari while leaving the courtroom pushed a police official in plain clothes away and asked him to stay away from his sister Faryal Talpur, who is also a co-accused in the fake accounts case and was leaving the courtroom after attending Thursday’s proceeding.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2019