Accountability court adjourns NAB references hearing against Zardari

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court has adjourned the hearing of National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) references against former president Asif Ali Zardari until January 9.

Accountability court Judge Muhammad Bashir was hearing the case pertaining to the five references against Zardari.

The court couldn’t indict the accused in polo ground reference because of his absence.

During the course of hearings, counsel for Zardari, Farooq H Naek said his client has security issues due which he could not appear in the court.

The court during the previous hearing had asked Faruque H. Naek to write to the government for arranging necessary security and Naek today informed the court that a formal request was made accordingly, but no response received.

The references against Zardari include polo ground, SGS, Cotecna, ARY and Ursus tractors. The court had already acquitted other accused in these references.

The accountability court took a suo motu action and reopened five references against Zardari in October 2013. Earlier, the references were deferred because he enjoyed constitutional immunity during his tenure as President of Pakistan.

Addressing the media, Farooq H Naek, said he had written a letter to IG and interior secretary for foolproof security of his client. He said Zardari was facing security threats, lamenting that the government couldn’t even provide adequate security to Benazir Bhutto. Zardari would be presented after security clearance, he added.