ISLAMABAD: The accountability court of Islamabad on Thursday recorded state-ments of three witnesses in Toshakhana reference.

The prosecution placed before the court record of salaries disbursed to former president Asif Ali Zardari and documentation related to purchase of bulletproof cars. The court summoned five more accused on Dec 23.

The court was told that Mr Zardari had received Rs5 million while he was holding the office of president from 2009 to 2013.

Accountability Judge Syed Asghar Ali allowed applications seeking exemption from personal appearance of Mr Zardari and former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Section officer of the Cabinet Division Kaleem Ahmed, former section officer Mohammad Khalil and account officer for the Accountant General Pakistan Revenue Abdul Rashid recorded their statements and produced record related to disposing of the bulletproof vehicles.

Record of salary Zardari received as president produced before accountability court

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi requested the court to conduct the proceedings on a daily basis, saying the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) had laid down 30-day period to conclude the trial.

He said that if the lawyers were not available for the day-to-day proceedings, the court might ask the accused to remain present inside the courtroom. The court had ample powers to procure the attendance of accused persons, he added.

The NAB reference states that former president Zardari and former premier Nawaz Sharif obtained cars from Toshakhana by paying 15 per cent of the price of the cars. The bureau alleged that former premier Gilani facilitated Mr Zardari and Mr Sharif in this regard. It said Mr Gilani dishonestly and illegally relaxed the procedure for the acceptance and disposal of gifts issued by the government vide Cabinet Division’s memorandum No.9/8/2004-TK dated June 25, 2007, which expressly stipulates that vehicles shall not be allowed to be purchased by the recipients and be given to the central pool of cars of the Cabinet Division.

The reference further states that Mr Zardari accepted and received the armoured vehicles as gifts from the United Arab Emirates (BMW750 Li, model 2005, Lexus Jeep, model 2007), and from Libya (BMW760 Li, model 2008) in September-October 2008. It was obligated to immediately report and deposit the vehicles with Toshakhana of the Cabinet Division, but he neither reported the gifted vehicles nor deposited the same.

The NAB reference alleged that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif did not hold any public office in 2008, but from April to December 2008 without giving any application or request to then prime minister Gilani, dishonestly and illegally obtained relaxation for his benefits.

It may be mentioned that Nawaz Sharif has already been declared a proclaimed offender in this case and the accountability court has separated his case from that of the rest of the under-trial accused.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2020