Zardari files review petition as details of assets in NRO case summoned

ISLAMABAD: Former president and Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari filed a review petition on Tuesday against the Supreme Court verdict summoning details of his assets in relation to he National Reconciliation Ordinance case.

On August 29, the apex court had summoned details of the former president’s assets from the past 10 years while hearing a petition related to the NRO, which was passed by Musharraf in 2007.

The review petition was filed by Zardari’s lawyer Farooq H Naik.

In the petition, it was said that the PPP co-chairman was already acquitted from the cases in the National Accountability Bureau and there are no documents present related to their assets.

The petition further stated that under the law, asset details of a person cannot be summoned and it is a violation of basic rights.

The plea said that to date no corruption cases have been proved against the former president.

NRO case: SC summons 10-year record of Zardari, Musharraf's assets

Court directs former presidents to submit detailed affidavits within 15 days

In the petition, it was requested that the apex court should review its earlier verdict in the case.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court sought a 10-year record of the assets and foreign and local bank accounts owned by former presidents Pervez Musharraf and Asif Ali Zardari.

Court expresses lack of confidence in Zardari's affidavit

In the previous hearing, the court expressed a lack of confidence in the affidavit submitted by former president Zardari and sought his asset details from 2007 onwards.

Zardari's counsel Farooq Naik told the court, "My client served a nine-year sentence and nothing was proven against him."

Justice Nisar then questioned the former president's counsel, "Did Zardari have an account in Switzerland? Or was the account in former prime minister Benazir Bhutto or their children's names?"

The chief justice further asked that Zardari in his affidavit state whether he formed a trust or not.

The court then ordered that a 10-year record of Zardari and Musharraf's assets and foreign and local bank accounts be submitted.

The bench directed that the former presidents submit detailed affidavits within 15 days.

During the hearing a day earlier, Zardari submitted an affidavit before the Supreme Court stating that he does not own any property abroad.

The document, a copy of which is available with Geo News, stated that Zardari owns no moveable or immovable property nor any bank account outside Pakistan.

The NRO granted amnesty to politicians and other individuals by quashing various corruption and criminal cases against them so they could return to the country and engage in the democratic process.