It is said in court’s verdict that NAB has failed to produce solid evidence against Asif Ali Zardari in these two references.
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The NAB law officers even tried to look for the original record from the Supreme Court but they could not find it.
The former president has already been acquitted in other three cases – the ARY Gold, Polo Ground and Ursus Tractor corruption references. It is worth noticing that a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), was issued by the former president Pervez Musharaf in 2007 that granted amnesty to politicians and bureaucrats who were accused corruption, embezzlement, money laundering, murder, and terrorism.
These two references were framed against Asif Ali Zardari in 1998 during tenure of former chairman NAB Saif ur Rehman.
Cotecna case pertains to the award of a contract to the Swiss company after allegedly receiving six per cent bribe on the revenue proceeds.
Name of former Prime Minister (PM) Benazir Bhutto was also included in these two references and her name was struck off after her martyrdom.
After the court proceedings, Wasim Afzal had told the media that there was a document that was a signed agreement between Asif Ali Zardari and his agent. Co-accused former chairman CBR A R Siddique has already been acquitted for want of evidence.
The same court accepted Zardari’s application on December 12, 2014 under Article 265-K in two corruption references namely Ursus tractors and import of gold ARY and later the NAB filed appeals with the Islamabad High Court against the acquittal of Zardari.
Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir reserved the decision on November 11 following both parties conclusion of arguments over acquittal applications of the former president in the SGS-Cotecna corruption cases against him.
Zardari had maintained that the case against him was politically motivated. The pleas stated that there was no incriminating evidence against the accused and these cases were constituted on political basis.
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There is, however, one reference still pending against Zardari in the Rawalpindi accountability court.
