Accountability court summons Zardari in illegal assets reference

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has reopened a five-year-old reference against former President Asif Ali Zardari and his slain wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, in which they are accused of acquiring assets illegally.

Judge Raja Ikhlaq Hussain heard the case at a Rawalpindi accountability court on Friday and summoned the former president on April 27.

The prosecution in the case argues that presidential immunity for Zardari has now expired and that the reference can now be reopened.

The reference was filed in 2001 in which Zardari was accused of misusing authority during his wife's tenure as prime minister. The reference was dismissed in 2010 under Zardari’s presidential immunity but was restored when NRO was declared null and void.

The court has now summoned the former president, asking him to appear before it on April 27.