The hearing for references against former President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Toshakhana case was adjourned by an accountability court in Islamabad on Thursday.
Judge Muhammad Bashir of the anti-graft court was unable to hear the case due to the ongoing hearing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan at Rawalpindi Central Jail.
The hearing relates to vehicles taken from the Toshakhana by the co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, PPP leader Yousuf Raza Gilani, and others.
It should be noted that the NAB was unable to file a supplementary reference against the accused. The hearing of the case has been adjourned until January 15.
Zardari and Nawaz have been accused by the country’s top anti-corruption body of illegally retaining expensive vehicles gifted to them by different foreign states and dignitaries instead of depositing them in the Toshakhana.
The NAB also maintained that Gilani, during his tenure as the prime minister, facilitated the PPP co-chairman in retaining the vehicles.
Former Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, along with former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, has been indicted by the anti-corruption court in the Toshakhana case.
The court has accused them of misusing their authority to receive luxury cars as gifts from foreign governments, which were then deposited in the Toshakhana (state treasury) without payment of duty.
The court has also declared former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a proclaimed offender in the same case. According to the court, Zardari and Gillani had no legal right to receive these vehicles as gifts, and their actions violated the law.
The court has charged them with corruption and misuse of authority. The Toshakhana case is one of several corruption cases being investigated against senior government officials in Pakistan.
The government has vowed to crack down on corruption and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. The court’s decision to indict Zardari and Gillani is a significant step towards achieving this goal.
It sends a clear message that no one is above the law, and that those who engage in corrupt practices will be held accountable for their actions.
The government’s efforts to combat corruption are in the best interest of the Pakistani people, as corruption undermines economic development and erodes public trust in government institutions.
By holding corrupt officials accountable, the government is promoting transparency and accountability, which are essential for building a prosperous and stable society.
