KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party leader Faryal Talpur on Saturday surrendered before the special court (offences in banks) and deposited a Rs2 million surety for the interim pre-arrest bail in a case of Rs4.14 billion alleged money laundering. However, she as well as her brother Asif Ali Zardari did not appear before an FIA-led joint investigation team.

On Friday, Ms Talpur was granted interim bail before arrest by the court till Aug 11 as her six-day protective bail granted to her by the Sindh High Court’s Larkana circuit bench last week was due to expire on July 28. However, the surety amount of Rs2m, as ordered by the trial court, could not be deposited.

Flanked by her counsel Farooq H. Naek, the PPP leader, recently elected as MPA from PS-10 (Larkana-I), appeared in person to surrender before the trial court in compliance with the directive given by the SHC and also deposited a Rs2m surety bond.

Zardari, sister seek 15 days to appear before FIA-led JIT

Earlier this month Pakistan Stock Exchange’s former chairman Hussain Lawai and banker Taha Raza were detained and booked for allegedly facilitating the opening of 29 ‘fake’ accounts in Summit Bank, Sindh Bank and United Bank Limited, through which suspicious transactions were made to different companies, including M/s Zardari Group. Last week, the investigating officer filed an interim charge sheet in court showing 20 beneficiaries, including Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman and former president Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, as absconders in the case.

Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur fail to appear before JIT

Mr Zardari and his sister Ms Talpur on Saturday did not appear before an FIA-led JIT probing the alleged money laundering case.

However, Ms Talpur sought 15 days’ time saying she was busy before a court for an identical matter, her lawyer said.

FIA assistant director of State Bank Circle Mohammad Ali Abro, who is the investigation officer of the case, sent a letter to Ms Talpur on July 24 asking her to appear before the JIT at 11am on Saturday (July 28) at the FIA Sindh office to record her statement under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code in the FIR (4/2018).

However, her lawyer Farooq H. Naek, through a junior lawyer, submitted a reply before the FIA stating that his client was “busy” on Saturday before the special court (offences in banks) Sindh in connection with her bail before arrest in the said FIR (4/2018) and interim charge sheet.

The lawyer contended that the FIA had recently filed an interim charge sheet wherein she (Ms Talpur) has been “unlawfully” shown as an absconder. It has been stated that in view of the above situation, Ms Talpur was unable to appear before the JIT.

“Please communicate another date for appearance after fortnight, if necessary,” said the lawyer.

FIA sources told Dawn that they had also sent a notice to Asif Zardari through a courier service at Bilawal House in Karachi for his appearance before the FIA-led JIT on Saturday but he did not receive it.

One FIA official who wished not to be named told Dawn that the Supreme Court of Pakistan was expected to take up this case on Aug 6 and the FIA may plead before the apex court to allow them to take custody of all accused and seize their property as not only Mr Zardari and his sister but other accused were also not “cooperating” with the FIA in the case’s investigation.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2018