Former President, Asif Ali Zardari, has been arrested by Pakistani police over suspicions of his involvement in a money laundering case in Islamabad. After the Islamabad High Court’s decision, officers from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had entered Zardari’s home and taken him into custody.
Previously Zardari has spent 11 years in prison all together due to corruption charges and was nicknamed ‘Mr 10 percent’ in the result of his illegal commission that he was rewarded from government contracts.
After the assassination of his wife, Benazir Bhutto, he served as President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013. Zardari is also the co-chairman of one of the strongest parties in the country, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
The NAB had arrested Zardari and his sister, Faryal Talpur, after nearly one million dollars had been transferred to their private account from their alleged fake bank accounts. Following further investigation, receipts of suspicious transactions amounting up to $29 million had been discovered and also transactions of Rs150 million from their alleged fake bank accounts. Following this investigation, over 170 people have been added onto a no-fly list.
Similarly, the leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Altaf Hussain, had been arrested in the UK, according to his spokesman. After requesting asylum in the 1990s, Hussain, 65, had been granted UK citizenship. He was arrested “on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting offences contrary to Section 44 of the Serious Crime Act 2007″.
Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly, Hamza Shahbaz, has also been arrested by the NAB following cases in holding assets beyond means and even money laundering, as his assets had significantly increased over short amounts of time. Hamza’s lawyer, Atta Tarrar, commented on the case suggesting “All NAB cases are targeting members of the opposition parties”.
Navkiran Bains
