Accountability Court in Pakistan requests NAB response to Nawaz Sharif's acquittal Plea in Toshakhana Case
- In Reports
- 03:10 PM, May 08, 2024
- Myind Staff
Pakistan-based Dawn reported that on Tuesday, an accountability court requested a response from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) regarding an application from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif, who is seeking acquittal in a case related to Toshakhana vehicles.
Judge Nasir Javed Rana of the accountability court directed NAB's prosecution to submit a response by May 23. The case concerns allegations against Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif for purportedly acquiring luxury vehicles from Toshakhana by paying 15 percent of their prices.
NAB asserted that former Pakistan Prime Minister and current Senate chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani facilitated the allotment of the vehicles to them by 'dishonestly' and 'illegally' relaxing the procedure for the acceptance and disposal of gifts.
According to a report submitted to the court in April, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) effectively exonerated Nawaz Sharif in the Toshakhana vehicle case, as reported by Dawn.
In the report, the prosecution stated that the vehicle in question was gifted to then-Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif by the government of Saudi Arabia and was subsequently deposited in the Toshakhana.
As per the report, the car sold to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was included in the federal transport pool. Dawn reported that the NAB report stated Pakistan's then-PM Gilani offered Nawaz Sharif to buy the car, which he did from the federal transport pool and not the Toshakhana.
The report stated, "This case may attract any other offence but it has no relevancy with the benefit of Toshakhana as the subject vehicle when purchased was not part of Toshakhana, rather than the same was part of the federal transport pool."
The Express Tribune reported that Nawaz Sharif filed a plea in an accountability court for acquittal in the Toshakhana case. The petition was submitted by Nawaz Sharif's lawyer Rana Muhammad Arif Khan in Islamabad accountability court.
According to The Express Tribune, among those accused in the case are President Asif Ali Zardari, who currently holds presidential immunity, and former premier Yousaf Raza Gillani. The prosecutor representing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) stated in court that he would forward the application to NAB headquarters. The court issued notices on Nawaz's petition for May 23 and adjourned the hearing till June 3.
Earlier this month, NAB cleared the PML-N supremo in a reference related to the acquisition of a luxury vehicle from the Toshakhana. The anti-graft body submitted a report stating that the Supreme Court had instructed to investigate an alleged fake account associated with Nawaz Sharif.
Moreover, as reported by The Express Tribune, Nawaz Sharif did not use funds from the alleged account to pay for the vehicle acquired from the Toshakhana. NAB mentioned that the vehicle gifted to the then-Pakistan PM by Saudi Arabia was relinquished to Toshakhana in 1997.
Image source: ANI
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