The National Accountability Bureau(NAB) in Pakistan arrested former Pakistan President and erstwhile co-chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party(PPP) in the fake bank accounts case. Zardari has been accused of siphoning off millions to his private company’s account, allegedly through fake bank accounts.
A team of NAB officials arrested Zardari from his residence on Monday, hours after the Islamabad High Court bench comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Moshin Akhtar Kayani dismissed a petition filed by Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur soliciting an extension in their interim bail in the case.
While the court issued ordered NAB to arrest Zardari and his sister Talpur, they both have the option of appealing to the apex court.
Various police and NAB officials reached Zardari’s house in Islamabad after Court issued orders to arrest him. Police blocked all routes leading to and from his house to secure the arrest. A team of NAB officials informed the National Assembly Speaker at the Parliament House about his arrest warrant.
According to the sources cited by Geo News, NAB is expected to keep Zardari in the bureau lockup. In addition, it is suspected that the agency might not seek Talpur’s custody. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahbaz Sharif had earlier urged NA Speaker Asad Qaiser to issue production orders for Zardari.
“Zardari has always complied with the demands of the NAB and has not used evasive tactics against them. NAB should have acknowledged this instead of proceeding to arrest him,” Sharif said in the Parliament.
The spokesperson for PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar issued an appeal to PPP supporters across the country to remain calm and peaceful. “We are waiting for high court’s written order,” he said and added that future strategy will be formulated after the party receives the order.
It is pertinent to note that former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif is also lodged in jail over charges of corruption while former President Pervez Musharraf had fled the country fearing his arrest.