ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad reserved its verdict on whether to refer the Toshakhana reference involving President Asif Ali Zardari, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani back to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The decision is expected to be announced on October 14.
The case pertains to a 2020 reference filed by NAB, which alleges that Zardari and Sharif acquired vehicles from the Toshakhana by paying only 15% of their value, facilitated by Gilani.
During the hearing, Zardari’s lawyer, Farooq H. Naek, argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case due to recent amendments to NAB laws, suggesting it should be sent back to the anti-graft body. He pointed out that a similar case had previously been returned to NAB.
In response, the NAB prosecutor stated that if a case is outside the court’s jurisdiction, the merits cannot be discussed and the court must decide on the referral. The prosecutor said that the case against Zardari cannot proceed due to presidential immunity, and suggested that it be referred to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
They also requested the court to send Nawaz’s case back to NAB and maintain the stay order regarding the president.
The NAB’s reference claims that Zardari received luxury cars as gifts from the governments of Libya and the UAE, which he failed to submit to the Toshakhana. In Nawaz’s case, NAB alleges he received a car from the Toshakhana during the PPP government in 2008, despite not holding any official position at that time.
In May, the accountability court had halted proceedings against Zardari due to his immunity as the head of state. Previously, NAB cleared Nawaz in this vehicle reference, stating that the car in question was not part of the Toshakhana when he purchased it.
The findings indicated a friendly country had gifted a car to Nawaz in 1997, which he deposited in the Toshakhana, and that he later bought the same car from the federal transport pool, not through a fake bank account.
