AC returns references against Asif Zardari, Faryal others to NAB

An accountability court in Islamabad has returned four references related to the fake bank accounts case against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Hussian Lawai, and others back to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The court’s decision came after the defense lawyer, Farooq H Naek, argued that, according to the amendments in the NAB Ordinance, a case cannot be registered for an amount less than Rs500 million.

The four references, including Plot Allotment, Sindh Bank, and Pink Residency, were sent back to the NAB by the judge. It is worth mentioning that the National Assembly had recently passed amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance 1999, aiming to limit the powers of the National Accountability Bureau. As per the amendment, corruption cases involving an amount less than Rs500 million cannot be taken up by the accountability courts.