Pakistan's ex-President Zardari Summoned In Corruption Cases

Islamabad, Oct 15, IRNA – Pakistan former President, Asif Ali Zardari, was summoned on Monday by an anti-corruption court to appear later this month in graft cases, court officials said. Zardari enjoyed immunity from persecution as head of state however the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court’s judge reopened five cases earlier this month just weeks after he stepped down. The anti-corruption court had on Friday formally reopened five corruption cases against Zardari and had also issued notices to the Prosecutor General of NAB and the former President to appear on October 14. The former President could not appear before the court in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near the capital Islamabad on Monday despite courts notice. The Addition Prosecutor informed the judge that Zardrai is abroad and the court notice could not be served on him. The court again issued notice to the former President to appear on the next hearing on October 29. The government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had not approached the court for reopening of the cases against Zardari to avoid any political polarization. However the NAB judge Bashir Ahmed took suo motu notice and reopened five old cases. The cases are related to favoritism and misuse of power by Zardari during his party's previous government of his slain spouse Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and allegedly receiving kickbacks in awards of contracts. PPP has criticized revival of the cases but said the former president will defend himself in courts. The party’s spokesman, Qamar-uz-Zaman Kaira has said that none of the corruption charge has been proved against Zardari and these cases had been registered for political motives. Former President Pervez Musharraf had withdrawn all cases against Zardari under a controversial amnesty deal in 2007. The Supreme Court had later cancelled the National Reconciliation Ordinance and reopened all corruption cases against Zardari and nearly 8000 other people including political leaders and former government officials. Earlier on October 8, Swiss authorities, who were contacted by the government to reopen the pending graft cases against Zardari, rejected the plea on the ground that the time limits have passed. The then Pakistan Peoples Party-led government had initially refused to send a letter to Swiss authorities for reopening the cases. It had argued that since Zardari was the President, he enjoyed immunity./end