Former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari arrested in fake bank accounts case

The National Accountability Bureau on Monday arrested former Pakistan president and Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in connection with a fake bank accounts case. Zardari’s arrest came hours after the Islamabad High Court refused to extend bail granted to Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, Dawn reported.

A 15-member team of the NAB along with police personnel arrested Zardari from his residence in Islamabad following the court order. A two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court, which had earlier reserved its judgment on the bail extension plea, read out the order. Zardari and Talpur had both left the court before the order was read out.

An arrest warrant for Zardari was issued on Monday, but no warrant has been issued for Talpur. Two teams were formed for Zardari’s arrest with one team being sent to Parliament House and the other sent to the former president’s residence, Dawn reported, quoting officials.

Zardari and Talpur have the option of appealing to the Supreme Court against the judgment of the Islamabad High Court.

The case is related to transactions to the tune of Rs 4.4 billion that had been carried out through a fake bank account. The prosecution alleged that Rs 30 million was paid to Zardari out of the Rs 4.4 billion, according to Dawn.

The Pakistan People’s Party has called for a meeting to discuss the legal options available to Zardari and his sister. The accountability bureau is likely to keep Zardari in the bureau’s lockup and is not expected to take Talpur into custody as of now, Geo News reported citing unidentified officials.

“Zardari has presented himself before the NAB on every occasion and has not used delaying tactics,” Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif said in the Parliament. “NAB should have appreciated this and there was no need for an arrest.”