Court reserves verdict in polo ground reference against Zardari
Polo ground reference is build upon the construction of a polo ground in PM house.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – An accountability court in Islamabad reserved its verdict in the polo ground reference case against former president Asif Ali Zardari on Monday, Dunya News reported.
Judge Mohammad Bashir heard the five NAB references against Zardari.
During the hearing, Zardari’s counsel Farooq H. Naek argued that probe into the polo ground reference started in 1993 and continued till 2001.
He said that reference was filed against three people including Asif Ali Zardari. The statements of 28 eye witnesses and two investigative officers had been recorded in the case but none of the witnesses had nominated Zardari.
Farooq H. Naek said the Federal Investigation Agency s (FIA) instead of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) investigated the polo ground reference, which is illegal.
Without the Chairman NAB’s application, the FIA could not undertake a suo motu probe, he added.
He said suo motu investigation was carried out in the case and according to FIA officer Chaudhry Najawat, he had not received any formal directives for carrying out the probe.
Naek said the legal status of the investigation had ended after Najawat’s clarification.
Zardari’s lawyer said the court had acquitted Saeed Mehdi, the prime accused person in the reference, but the NAB did not challenge his acquittal.
Naek said if the court had ruled that the main suspect in the case was not guilty, then there were no grounds for running a reference against the co-accused.
On the other hand, the NAB prosecutor argued that witnesses in the case should be given a chance to appear in the court.
He further said that a charge sheet had been prepared against Zardari, adding that the accused should be indicted and then given an opportunity to defend himself.
After conclusion of arguments, the court reserved its decision on Asif Ali Zardari’s acquittal plea till March 6.
