Zardari back home after bail

Islamabad: Former president Asif Ali Zardari has been released on medical grounds after an accountability court in Islamabad issued separate robkars (mandamuses) in the Park Lane Estate Company and the money laundering through fake bank accounts cases against him on Thursday.

He was driven to Zardari House from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

After submission of surety bonds, the robkars were dispatched to the superintendent of the Adiala Jail.

During hearing today, Judge Azam Khan inquired from the guarantor: “Are you aware of whom you are giving the guarantee?” To this, the guarantor responded he knew that.

Yesterday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted bail to Asif Ali Zardari on medical grounds in the same cases.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah headed the bench which conducted the hearing. The court directed the erstwhile president to submit two surety bonds worth ten million rupees each.

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Additional Prosecutor General (APG) read the medical reports of Asif Ali Zardari, which were submitted during the hearing, upon Justice Athar Minallah directions.

According to the reports, the erstwhile president is suffering from diabetes and heart disease and needs to undergo angiography, whereas, angioplasty may also be required while putting the stents. Asif Zardari’s life is in danger and his treatment is not possible in jail, the report said.

The NAB told the court that two references regarding fake bank accounts in Park Lane and mega money laundering cases have been filed. The court remarked that it means the anti-graft watchdog does not further require custody of the suspect as references have already been lodged.

According to the hospital sources, Mr Zardari’s fast heart rate is also creating problems for him to walk. Doctors are likely to plan a cardiac procedure and change the medicine after the erstwhile president’s detailed check-up.

Mr Zardari had filed a bail plea on medical grounds whereas Talpur sought bail from the same court while pleading with the court that she was a mother of a differently-abled child, and therefore she needed to take care of that child.

The former president had maintained that he was suffering from a heart ailment and has had three stents placed in his body. He said that he also suffers from diabetes which means that he has to constantly monitor his blood sugar levels.

The PPP co-chairperson’s medical reports were submitted along with the application to the IHC.

On Nov. 12, an accountability court in Islamabad had rejected Zardari’s application for transferring him to Karachi for his ongoing medical treatment.

On July 29, an accountability court issued copies of the Park Lane reference against former president Asif Zardari which states that the Asif Zardari had taken Rs 1.5 billion loan from National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) in the name of fake company Parthenon.

On July 1, the NAB had arrested Zardari in the Park Lane case while he was already in custody with the bureau’s Rawalpindi directorate in connection with the fake accounts case.

On June 26, Zardari had withdrawn his bail applications in three cases saying he knew why he was suffering and “does not want to embarrass anyone”.

He withdrew his applications seeking bail in Park Lane, Tosha Khana luxury vehicles and bulletproof vehicles references filed against him by NAB.

On June 10, Asif Ali Zardari had surrendered himself to a team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) after IHC rejected his and his sister Faryal Talpur’s pre-arrest bail plea in the money laundering case.

The accountability watchdog had arrested him in June after the cancellation of his pre-arrest bail by the Islamabad High Court in the fake bank accounts case.

At that time, NAB had stated that it was proved during the investigation of the case that PPP leader had done corruption and money laundering with the help of his close aides. The NAB further had stated the loans were taken by showing fake documents and those loans were then used for personal gains.

According to the reference, Rs1.5 billion were taken in 2009 and Rs800 million were withdrawn in 2012. It had added that the NBP suffered loss of Rs3.77 billion due this fraud. It had further mentioned that Zardari as the president had forged documents to comply with the loan policy and coaxed the NBP into loan approval.

Asif Zardari was 25% share holder in Park Lane Company and he also made a fake company Parthenon in the name of his employees. Besides, a property was also bought in the IBC Center where the bureau has sealed eight floors.

As per the prosecution, the Park Lane case is being investigated under different sections of NAO 1999 and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010 for Zardari’s alleged involvement “in extending loan and its misappropriation by M/S Parthenon Private Limited, M/S Park Lane Estate Private Limited and others”.