ISLAMABAD, Feb 1: An accountability court on Friday again extended the remand of former PPP senator Asif Ali Zardari to another eight days in the BMW reference and adjourned the hearing till February 8.

Judge Sakhi Hussain Bokhari directed the prosecution to complete the investigations within that time.

Hazrat Ali, the investigating officer, sought more time on the grounds that he could not interrogate the accused.

However, the defence councils, Farooq Naek and Shafqat Abbasi, while opposing the argument said the accused remained available for investigations in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) but the prosecution did not interrogate him deliberately just to harass him.

This was the fourth time that the court extended the remand of Asif Zardari on the request of the prosecution. Earlier, the court had granted 9, 10 and eight days remands.

Mr Zardari was recently arrested on charges of importing a bulletproof BMW car after he was granted bail by an LHC bench in the narcotics case.

Mr Zardari has been accused of impersonating himself as student and importing 1993 model armoured luxury vehicle with the intention to evade duties. The prosecution said the national exchequer was deprived of Rs10 million due to this deal.

The prosecution claimed the actual price of the bulletproof armoured vehicle, with an unladen weight of 2,560kg was 55,000 pounds. But, to evade the duty, the accused showed the weight of the car as 1,610kg purchased at 12,000 pounds.

Later, Asif Zardari condoled the death of Shafqat Abbasi’s father. PPP leaders including Pervez Ashraf, Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan, Agha Riaz and Qazi Sultan were also present on the occasion.