SC turns down Zardari’s request to transfer cases from Islamabad to Karachi

ISLAMABAD (APP): The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned down the request of Ex-President Asif Ali Zardari to transfer NAB references from accountability court Islamabad to accountability court Karachi due to unavailability of bench.
According to notice issued by the apex court, the cases fixed for hearing on Wednesday (March 10) before a three-member bench comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed had been delisted.
The former president had requested the apex court to transfer four corruption references, filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against him from the Islamabad accountability court to Karachi.
SC dismisses pre-arrest bail plea of a corruption accused: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the pre-arrest bail plea of accused former secretary private housing society Ghulam Hadi Shah over withdrawal of petition.
A three-member SC bench comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed heard the case.
During the course of proceedings, Advocate Farooq H Naek counsel for the accused said that his client was accused of illegal agreement of 17 acre of land.
He said that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also filed a reference against his client.
Justice Sajjad Ali Shah said that the accused was on bail since last four years and he always cooperated with the NAB.
Naek said that only one of the 43 witnesses testified in one year.
Justice Sajjad Ali Shah said that the accused was not arrested.
He asked what would have been the investigation if the accused had not been arrested?
Justice Bandial said that the court was not granting pre-arrest bail.
He asked either the court rejected the application or the accused wanted to withdraw.
The court rejected the accused’s plea over withdrawal of bail application.