ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) today gave a clean chit to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the ToshaKhana vehicle reference.
Judge Nasir Javed Rana of the Accountability Court of Islamabadheard the reference against President Asif Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, Yusuf Raza Gilani, and others in the reference related to Toshakhana vehicles.Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer Rana Muhammad Irfan appeared before the court.
The anti-graft watchdog told the court that it had the authority to acquit Nawaz Sharif from the Toshakhana reference. “If the court wants, ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif can be acquitted from the case,” NAB pleaded.
During the hearing, NAB submitted a report to the accountability court in which it was said that the car gifted to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by the Saudi government was deposited in Toshakhana and later the car was included in the federal transport pool.
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According to the submitted report, Nawaz Sharif bought the car not from the Toshakhana but from the Federal Transport Pool. The car was given to ToshaKhana in 1997, while in 2008, when Nawaz Sharif bought the car, it was not owned by ToshaKhana.Nawaz Sharif did not pay the amount of the car from the fake bank account, accountability court told.
On the other hand, President Asif Ali Zardari appeared before the court. The court was told that Asif Ali Zardari has presidential immunity for five years. It should be noted that NAB filed reference in the Accountability Court aganst Yousaf Raza Gilani for illegally allotting vehicles to Asif Zardari and PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif.
Later, the accountability court adjourned the hearing of the ToshaKhana case till May 7.