ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad on Monday couldn’t indict former president Asif Ali Zardari because he did not appear in the court over security reasons.
The court judge Muhammad Bashir resumed hearing the case pertaining to the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) five references against Zardari on Monday. The former president was likely to be indicted in polo ground reference case but the court couldn’t indict him in the case because of his absence.
The counsel for Zardari, Farooq H Naek, told the judge that his client has security issues due to which he could not appear in the court. He said that a formal request was made to the government to provide adequate security to Zardari but no response has yet been received.
Later, the judge adjourned the hearing of the references against the former president until January 9.
Zardari completed his five-year term on September 8, becoming the first democratically-elected president in the 66-year history of Pakistan. During his tenure as head of the state, Zardari enjoyed immunity, therefore, the hearing of these cases could not be held in any court.
The cases which were reopened against the former president include: ARY Gold reference, SGS-cotecna, polo ground reference, Ursus tractors case and asset case.
