Court issues bailable arrest warrant for Zardari

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court of Islamabad on Tuesday issued bailable arrest warrant for former president Asif Ali Zardari and started the process of declaring former prime minister Nawaz Sharif a proclaimed offender in a reference accusing them and ex-premier Yousuf Raza Gillani of receiving luxury vehicles and gits from Toshakhana.

A National Accountability Bureau ( NAB) prosecutor submited a compliance report to Accountability Judge Asghar Ali stating that the bureau forwarded arrest warrants against Sharif, who is in London, through the Foreign Office.

Observing that the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) supreme leader is not joining the trial proceedings intentionally, the judge issued directives for starting the process of declaring him a proclaimed offender over perpetual absence from the hearing.

Separately, the Supreme Court has reserved its ruling on the federal government’s suggestion about constitution of a high-powered commitee to ensure transparency in the use of funds being deposited by the Bahria Town Karachi.

While the federal government, through an application, sought transfer of funds being deposited in the apex court by the Bahria Town to its “Public Account,” the Sindh government asked for utilising the money for development projects it has initiated.

A three-judge Supreme Court implementation bench, headed by Justice Faisal Arab, also decided to conduct a fresh survey by the Survey of Pakistan to determine the actual occupation of lands in possession of the Bahria Town Karachi.

On March 21, 2019, a three-judge SC bench, headed by former judge Sheikh Azmat Saeed, had approved Rs460 billion offer put forth by the Bahria Town to implement the apex court’s May 4, 2018 judgement in which it was held that the grant of land to the Malir Development Authority ( MDA) by the Sindh government, its exchange with the land of Bahria Town and anything done under the provisions of the Colonisation of Government Land Act, 1912 by the Sindh government were illegal and of no legal existence.