Zardari, Talpur appear before FIA in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister, Faryal Talpur, appeared before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday in a Rs 35 billion money laundering and fake bank accounts case. 
The two had their statements recorded before FIA additional DG Najaf Mirza. The former president and his sister were questioned for around 35 minutes and according to sources, Zardari avoided answering some questions, reported local Geo News.
Speaking to media personnel after his appearance at the agency’s Islamabad office, Zardari said, “Unfortunately the money laundering case was formed against me during former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s tenure.”
Zardari and Talpur were accompanied by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders Syed Khursheed Shah, Sherry Rehman, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Aitzaz Ahsan, recorded their statements in the money laundering case at the agency’s headquarters in Islamabad today.
Zardari and his sister’s names are among 32 people being investigated by the FIA with regards to money laundering from fictitious accounts. In July, Zardari’s close aide and famous banker Hussain Lawai was arrested in connection with a multi-billion rupee scam for which the former president and his sister were listed as beneficiaries.
The FIA issued notices on Saturday for the two to appear at the agency’s headquarters in Islamabad. This was the fourth summon issued to the former president and his sister. Despite being summoned earlier, Zardari and Talpur failed to appear before the FIA’s joint investigation team probing the multi-billion money laundering scam.
The FIA has been directed to submit a comprehensive report to the Supreme Court in connection with the ongoing probe by Tuesday.
On August 17, non-bailable arrest warrants for Zardari among others were issued by a local banking court in Karachi. The notices ordered for the suspects to be arrested and presented before the court by September 4.
On August 18, however, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) approved the former president’s petition for protective bail in the case. 
Zardari had filed the petition in the IHC through his counsels Aitzaz Ahsan and Latif Khosa.