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ISLAMABAD, Feb 20: The Accountability Court No: III on Wednesday extended the remand of Asif Ali Zardari for another eight days and directed the prosecution to produce the accused on March 1 in the BMW case.
Farooq Naek, advocate, who appeared on behalf of the accused, requested the accountability court to direct the prosecution to submit the reference against Asif Zardari, the spouse of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, in the BMW case so that the defence could know about the nature of the allegations.
Similarly, the Accountability Court No: II also adjourned the hearing in the ARY Gold case for March 1.
The court earlier had directed the prosecution in the ARY Gold case to provide the fresh address of Benazir Bhutto, since the summons against her were issued to the Karachi address.
The case pertains to a contract to the ARY Gold Traders for the import of gold and silver in Pakistan, which allegedly resulted in the loss of Rs1.82 billion to the government kitty during the period from March 1995 to September 1997.
In the BMW case, the prosecution accused Asif Ali Zardari of impersonating himself as student by importing a 1993 model armoured luxury vehicle in the name of a student with an intent to evade duties.
With the import of the vehicle, the national exchequer was incurred a loss Rs10 million during the second tenure Benazir government.
APP ADDS: An accountability court has adjourned the hearing of Steel Mills corruption reference against Asif Zardari here on Wednesday.
The accountability court had adjourned because the accused had moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) alleging that the certain amendments had been made in the original reference.
The Lahore High Court has appointed a person to verify whether the changes were made in the original reference and further proceedings in the case would start on the receipt of the said report.
Farooq Naek is the defence counsel in the said case.
This reference was filed against the accused by the Ehtesaab Bureau, set up by the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) government in the Ehtsaab Bench of the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench.
The reference was transferred to the accountability court following the dismissal of the PML (N) government in October 1999.
