ISLAMABAD: Former President Asif Ali Zardari and his sister, Faryal Talpur, on Monday filed a review petition against the Supreme Court’s January 7 decision in the ongoing money laundering case.
The defendants stated in the petition, “The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) failed to submit a final challan in the banking court and the agency was unable to find any evidence against them despite cooperation from all institutions.”
The FIA, in July 2018, obtained the remand of Hussain Lawai, Chairman Central Depository Company (CDC) and a close aide of Zardari’s, after registering a case against him and others for using a fake bank account to launder Rs35 billion ($288 million).
According to a case registered by FIA’s Banking Circle Karachi, The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and his sister are among 13 people who benefited from the arrangement.
The police First Investigation Report (FIR) says that M/S Zardari Group (Asif Ali Zardari, Faryal Talpur, etc) got Rs15 million and were among the beneficiaries of the transaction trail of fake bank accounts maintained by Omni Group, owned by Anwar Majeed, another close aide of the former president.
“The SC formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on FIA’s request. Zardari and Talpur appeared before the JIT and submitted written replies. In the absence of law, a JIT comprising members of different institutions cannot be formed,” added the review petition.
The petition maintains that the JIT could not find any direct evidence against Zardari or Talpur. “The JIT presented a report in the SC without including our stance and the report is based on assumptions,” the petition added.
The JIT has also recommended a further inquiry and the top court agreed that the investigative team could not present substantial evidence, it continued.
There was no reason to transfer the case from Karachi to Islamabad and Zardari has been the target of political revenge throughout his life, the review petition further read.
Zardari and Talpur in the petition said that the SC decision will affect the “fair trial” and that the top court’s January 7 should be reviewed.
In light of the JIT report, the SC had directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to conduct a fresh investigation within two months and file references against the accused in the case.
Zardari, Talpur file review petition in money laundering case
Zardari, Talpur file review petition in money laundering case
- Review petition maintains the JIT could not find direct evidence against Zardari or Talpur
- The SC had directed NAB to conduct fresh investigation within two months and file references against the accused
Islamabad allows UK’s Norse Atlantic to operate flights to Pakistan
- The development comes days after Pakistan privatized national airline PIA, which currently flies to Manchester
- Norse Atlantic will operate direct flights from London, Manchester and Birmingham to Islamabad, minister says
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has allowed Britain’s Norse Atlantic to operate flights to the South Asian country, the Pakistani defense minister announced late Thursday, days after privatization of the state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The UK is home to over 1.6 million Pakistanis. PIA had resumed its flight operations to the UK in October last year after Britain lifted a ban on Pakistani carriers in July, nearly half a decade after grounding them over a pilot licensing scandal.
The Pakistani airline, which began operating three weekly flights to Manchester, is set to operate direct flights to London in March, its spokesperson confirmed late last month, following the privatization of the debt-ridden carrier.
In a post on X late Thursday, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif announced the South Asian country approved the designation of Norse Atlantic, which will operate direct flights from London, Manchester and Birmingham to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.
“The increase in operations of international airlines to Pakistan will promote a competitive environment leading to world class service and balance in fares,” he said.
Meanwhile, PIA will operate London flights from Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4, which the airline said is recognized as one of its most modern terminals.
“London was PIA’s very first international destination and remains one of its most important and attractive routes,” the airline spokesperson said. ““Starting Mar. 29, PIA will operate four weekly flights from Islamabad to London.”
Pakistan’s government succeeded in its efforts to privatize PIA on Dec. 23, when a consortium, led by Arif Habib Group, secured a 75 percent stake in the airline for Rs135 billion ($482 million) after several rounds of bidding, valuing the airline at Rs180 billion ($643 million).
The sale marked Pakistan’s most aggressive attempt in decades to reform the debt-ridden national airline, which had accumulated more than $2.8 billion in financial losses. The government said it would end decades of state-funded bailouts and help revive the airline.
