Why did JIT summon Bilawal Bhutto Zardari?

The investigation into multi-billion fake accounts scam continues to bring forth unbelievable surprises. The latest revelation is about an alleged involvement of Pakistan People Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, having stashed an estimated fortune of millions of rupees in a dozen fake accounts.

The revelation has made the country’s anti-corruption watchdog jump to action.

More than 620 individuals who have a direct or in-direct link with more than 300 fake accounts have allegedly accumulated wealth worth around Rs110 billion, officials associated with the investigation process revealed on Tuesday.

“Proceedings conducted so far have revealed that in your [Bilawal] capacity of Director of M/s Zardari Group Pvt Ltd. you are acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the matter and possess information/evidence which relates to the subject case/inquiry,” read the notice Joint Investigation Team (JIT) served on PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto on Nov 22, 2018.

The JIT, headed by senior police officer Ehsan Sadiq, has also summoned former President Asif Ali Zardari (29th November) and his sister MPA Faryal Talpur (today) in the same case in its Karachi office.

The JIT Secretary in his notice, ECW/HRC-39216-G/66/HJ/2018, also advised PPP Chairman that he was required to produce the relevant record along with justifications pertaining to transactions made by M/s Zardari Group Pvt. Ltd with a few fake accounts associated with Omni Group and other over a half dozen entities and individuals.

Investigators who had also sought record of around 210 entities from Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan, National Accountability Bureau, State Bank of Pakistan and government of Sindh, wanted Bhutto’s viewpoint on M/s A-one International’s accounts in Summit Bank where transactions worth millions of rupees were allegedly made through his entity.

JIT also questioned Bhutto as director of Zardari Group Pvt Ltd, where a sum of amount was accumulated through M/s Lucky International’s account '12120-311714135-339' maintained at a private bank in Karachi. Investigators also want to question PPP Chairman about fake accounts maintained through M/s Umair Associates, M/s Ocean Enterprises and M/s Dream Trading and Company. These accounts carried more than 34 transactions worth around Rs130 million, an official revealed.

There was also a payment of Rs1.54 million of domestic water bill for the month of April 20, 2015 pertaining to House No, D-30, Block 3 Clifton from a fake account of M/s Royal International which was maintained at a private bank in Karachi, revealed the JIT notice at Bilawal House in Karachi last week.

On June 29, 2015 , Rs4.14 million were paid from a fake account, owned by M/s Logistic Trading, for food supplied to Bilawal House by M/s ‘The Deli’ restaurant, JIT’s notice further revealed. This account was maintained at a private bank in Karachi.

These were the reasons Bilawal Bhutto was summoned by fake accounts JIT to appear before the investigators along with relevant record to explain about all aforementioned transactions made through fake accounts. The JIT, if PPP chairman appears before the investigators, would record his statement on this important issue on Wednesday. The JIT has also sought original documents and certified receipts to justify his stance as evidence for the fake accounts case. The notice finally read that if the accused person fails to appear before the investigators then “please note that failing to comply with this notice, may entail penal consequences under the NAO 1999.”

Several attempts were made for official version of the PPP senior leaders, Bilawal's spokesman Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Farooq H. Naek in particular, on this fake accounts case but both have chosen not to respond to queries.

Senator Farhatullah Babar was also approached for the response, who later forwarded Geo News questions to Farooq H. Naek, who never responded till filing of this story.

When notice was issued by JIT to Bilawal Bhutto, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said: "PPP has been facing cases in the past and it will continue to face them now as well.” Khokhar further maintained, "we have been emerging triumphant from the courts."