The documents provided by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) showed that Zardari had been accused of illegally amassing assets worth $1.5 billion and Rs22 billion.
President Asif Ali Zardari allegedly gained financial benefits worth billions of dollars when graft cases against him were dropped under a law that has now expired, according to documents submitted by Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog to the supreme court today.
The documents provided by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) showed that Zardari had been accused of illegally amassing assets worth $1.5 billion and Rs22 billion, mainly during the period when his slain wife Benazir Bhutto was the premier in the 1990s.
Zardari was charged with amassing assets beyond his means of income and these cases were dropped under the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), issued by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf two years ago.
NAB submitted the documents in the apex court after a 17-judge bench headed by chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry sought details of all beneficiaries of the NRO, which expired on November 28 after the government failed to get it endorsed by Parliament within a deadline set by the apex court.
The bench yesterday began hearing challenges to the expired law and the amnesty granted under it to over 8,000 people, including Zardari and several of his close aides.
The documents provided by NAB further stated that several corruption cases were registered against Zardari for allegedly causing losses to the public exchequer by misusing his authority during his tenure as a minister in his late wife's Cabinet.The cases included the alleged misuse of authority to grant concessions to shipping companies and a gold importing firm and to purchase tractors for a government-run scheme, according to the documents.
These cases involved alleged losses of hundreds of millions of rupees to the public exchequer, the documents stated. All these cases too were dropped under the NRO.
The government yesterday informed the court that it would not defend the NRO, raising the possibility of fresh legal challenges to Zardari holding the post of president.
Legal experts believe Zardari, whose approval ratings have hit rock bottom, could face more trouble if the apex court declares the NRO illegal and challenges his eligibility for the post of president.
Zardari has dismissed the corruption charges against him, saying they were politically motivated and fabricated by the previous military regime. He has maintained that he enjoys immunity from prosecution by virtue of holding the post of
president.
Acting attorney general Shah Khawar told reporters at the supreme court today that Zardari was "protected under the Constitution" and the current case would have no "adverse effect" on him.
Even if the NRO was not promulgated, Zardari could have contested elections for parliament and the presidency, he said.
Besides Zardari, several of his close aides, including interior minister Rehman Malik, defence minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar and senior Pakistan People's Party leader Jahangir Badr, benefitted from the NRO.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}