ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Thursday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in a reference related to receiving luxury vehicles and gifts from Toshakhana.
Nawaz along with former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and former president Asif Ali Zardari was directed by the court to attend the hearing.
During the hearing, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor Muzaffar Abbasi appealed to the court to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant for Nawaz, maintaining since he was abroad, arrest warrants against the PML-N supremo can be published in foreign publications.
The prosecutor further informed the court that Omni Group chief Anwar Majeed, another suspect in the case, was incarcerated in Karachi’s Malir jail for his alleged involvement in the fake bank accounts case.
The hearing was attended by Gillani and suspect Abdul Majid Ghani as Zardari’s petition requestion exemption from appearance was accepted.
The court, while exempting Zardari from attending proceedings today, ordered that another notice for appearance be sent to the residence of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairperson.
THE REFERENCE:
According to the reference, Gillani had been accused of illegally allotting cars to Zardari and Nawaz.
Khawaja Anwar Majeed and Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, owners of the Omni Group, were also nominated as accused in the reference.
The reference states that Zardari and Sharif obtained cars from Toshakhana by paying 15 per cent of the price of the cars. The bureau further alleged that Gillani facilitated Zardari and Nawaz in this regard. He dishonestly and illegally relaxed the procedure for the acceptance and disposal of gifts, issued by the government of Pakistan vide Cabinet Division’s Memorandum No.9/8/2004-TK dated June 25, 2007, which expressly stipulates that vehicles shall not be allowed to be purchased by the recipients and be given to the central pool of care of the Cabinet Division.
Reference further states that Zardari accepted and received the armored vehicles as gift from the United Arab Emirates (BMW750 Li model 2005, Lexus Jeep model 2007) and from Libya (BMW 760 Li model 2008) in September-October 2008. It was obligated to immediately report and deposit the vehicles with Toshakhana of Cabinet Division but he neither reported the gifted vehicles nor despoiled the same.
The NAB reference alleges that Sharif did not hold any public office in the year 2008. However, from April to December 2008 without giving any application or request to then prime minister Gillani dishonestly and illegally obtained relaxation for his benefits of the procedure for the vide Cabinet Division’s above said Memorandum which expressly stipulate that vehicles shall not be allowed to be purchased by the recipients and be given to the Central Pool of cars of the Cabinet Division.
“Nawaz Sharif knowingly and with dishonest intention obtained illegal favour in connivance with the then prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani by obtaining the relaxation of said procedure for the acceptance and disposal of gifts,” the reference states.
In the Toshakhana reference, Khawaja Anwar Majeed having control of and by operating accounts of M/s Ansari Sugar Mills Ltd transferred Rs9.2 million from bank account No 3172-2 maintained with National Bank of Pakistan’s Avari Tower Branch in Karachi, vide cheque dated 23-04-2009 to the account No 0023-011009761001 of Zardari.
He made another payment Rs11,117,557 from account No 4108080922 on the behalf of Zardari. Accused persons as part of their overall illicit scheme made payment totaling to Rs20,317,557 for the undue benefit of Zardari.
Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majeed, part of their overall illicit scheme, made payments totalling to Rs3,716 million for benefit of Zardari.
The NAB investigation has accused these public figures of having committed the offense of corruption and being involved in corrupt practices defined under various sections of NAB.
The anti-graft agency has requested the court to conduct a trial and sentence the accused to the strictest possible jail terms under the NAB Ordinance for their involvement in the corruption scam.
It is to mention here that Sharif is on bail for his medical treatment in London and Zardari is also on bail.
