Accountability Court Judge Azam Khan heard the references.
TLTP
ISLAMABAD
An accountability court here on Monday indicted former President Asif Ali Zardari and others in Park Lane and Thatta Water Supply references.
The PPP leader and others nominated in the references appeared before the court. During the hearing, the former president was presented with the charge sheet of the Thatta Water Supply and Park Lane references while the other suspects were provided a copy of the indictment.
The court framed charges against Zardari in the two references. A total of 19 persons were indicted in the Park Lane reference while 15 were indicted in the Thatta Water Supply reference.
Zardari pleaded not guilty to the charges as the court directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to present witnesses in the Park Lane reference by October 20 and in the Thatta Water Supply reference by October 21.
The court had indicted Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur on September 28 in the mega money laundering reference.
Speaking outside the accountability court with reporters, Zardari was asked to comment on Khawaja Asif’s remarks about him.
“Khawaja Asif must have given the statement on somebody’s instructions,” he said. “The intent was to divide the opposition.”
Talking about the accountability cases filed against him, Zardari said that he had previously suffered under the same circumstances when cases were filed against him. “When we are in opposition, such cases are filed against us,” he said. “We have been going through these cases [in the past as well].”
Last week, PML-N leader Khawaja Asif had said he still does not completely trust PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari. “It is difficult for me to trust him (Zardari) even today,” he said in a private news channel talk show.
