NAB interrogates Asif Zardari, Bilawal in three cases

Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto appeared before NAB investigation team for the first time.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday handed over questionnaires comprising 54 questions each to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in three cases including Park Lane Estate reference, and subsequently directed them to submit their response within 10 days.

The members of a joint investigation team (JIT) of the anti-graft watchdog recorded their statements after 2 hours of interrogation at the bureau’s office in Rawalpindi concerning accusations over Park Lane Estate Company (Pvt) Ltd — a Karachi-based real estate firm co-owned by Zardari and Bilawal.

Reportedly, both of them were interrogated separately by two investigation teams led by NAB DG Irfan Mangi.

Sources familiar with the matter told Dunya News that Bilawal denied his link with the case by stating that he could not comprehend why he was added to the list of persons being investigated.

However, he assured officials of cooperating in the investigation process.

He told the team that he was just one-year old when the company was established and he did not support corruption in any way. He urged officials to take into account facts concerning the matter and expressed hope that they would not be called again.

Meanwhile, Zardari adopted a cautious stance that he had become shareholder of the company in the year 2009 and the record of transactions is available.

The NAB officials will examine their statements accordingly with the relevant sections of the Law and would decide in the light of recorded statements whether to re-summon them or not. The department has maintained to proceed with the investigation process without any political influence or pressure.

After his appearance before the investigation team, Bilawal left without speaking to the media. However on his way back, his party supporters surrounded his vehicle where he addressed them.

“By using the law and constitution, we will amend the black law [of NAB]. I have been summoned in the case when I was only a year old,” he said.

"This was our mistake, this was our weakness that we did not amend this black law which was introduced by a dictator," he said, adding that his party would "wipe the Constitution" of every law that was introduced by a "dictator".

"Whenever we make a speech in the National Assembly, we get a notice from a JIT (joint investigation team) or NAB or some other puppet institution," he added while stating that they were the followers of Benazir Bhutto and were not afraid of such notices.

He demanded resignation of three ministers for having alleged links with proscribed organisations, and vowed to challenge what he called a “puppet government.” However, he did not name the ministers he was referring to.

He further said, “We will keep raising our voice against banned outfits.”

“We will keep our determination amid this political crisis,” he went on to say.

A carcade of 19 vehicles accompanied PPP leadership’s visit to the NAB. Outside NAB’s office, party workers clashed with the security personnel after the former tried to force their way inside.

Effective security measures were taken by police, and a heavy contingent of 550 officers was deployed around the bureau’s office in Rawalpindi.

SP city was given the charge of monitoring the overall security situation around the bureau. Meanwhile, police was also deployed at Nadra Chowk near Faizabad and was instructed to hinder PPP workers at Aabpara Market.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Sindh High Court (SHC) granted a 10-day protective bail to Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur but rejected their request to issue a stay order against a banking court’s decision allowing the NAB to transfer the fake bank accounts case to Rawalpindi.

The party had directed its workers to reach the NAB office “to express solidarity” with the PPP chief. Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, a spokesman for the PPP chairman had confirmed that Bilawal and Zardari had decided to appear before the NAB after receiving a notice from the bureau on March 15. He said former Senate chairman and law minister Farooq H. Naek would be representing the PPP chairman in the case.

According to sources, Zardari had acquired the company illegally through a front man, Iqbal Memon, in 1989. In 2009, Zardari and Bilawal became shareholders of the company.

Moreover, both of them have a stake of 25 percent each in the company and Zardari had the authority to use the company accounts at his discretion as the director of the firm.

Allegedly, billions of rupees were transferred to the company’s accounts via fake bank accounts while the company documents dating back to the year 2008 show Zardari’s signatures as the director. The company took out loans of billions of rupees from the banks.

Last month, the NAB had filed a petition with the trial court on behalf of NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal, stating that the investigation of the case had been transferred to the anti-graft watchdog by the apex court. The petition had requested the trial court to transfer the proceedings of the case to an accountability court in Rawalpindi.

Following the petition, the banking court had reserved its verdict earlier this week. On Friday, the court announced its verdict and allowed the transfer of the fake accounts and money laundering case from Karachi to an accountability court in Rawalpindi.