SC bans sale, purchase of properties of Zardari Group, others
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LAHORE: The Supreme Court (SC) hearing the fake bank accounts case, banned the sale and purchase of properties owned by Zardari Group, Omni Group and Bahria Town's four companies including JV Opal 225,
Parklane Estate, Parthenon (Pvt) Limited and Bahria Icon Tower.
The court also ordered for handing over copies of the joint investigation team (JIT) report to Omni Group, Bahria
Town, Zardari Group, Faryal Talpur and others, and sought their replies within five days, while adjourning the further
hearing till December 31.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, passed the orders while hearing the matter at Supreme Court Lahore Registry.
At the outset of the hearing, a projector was installed in the courtroom for showing the summary of the JIT report,
in compliance with the court orders.
A JIT team member apprised the bench that Rs 42 billion transactions were made through 32 fake bank accounts. He informed the court that Rs 1.36 billion were transferred to the said accounts by 19 contractors, whereas Rs 10.2 billion were transferred from Bahria Town accounts.
To a court query, the member stated that Bahria Icon Tower was constructed on illegal land, adding that Bagh
Qasim land was also illegally used for the purpose.
He submitted that Rs 1.22 billion were transferred to Faryal Talpur account and the amount was used to buy properties including Bilawal House Lahore, land adjacent to Bilawal House Karachi and land in Tando Allah Yar.
The court was also apprised that initially Bilawal House Lahore was given as a gift by Bahria Town, but it was not accepted.
The total price of Bilawal House Lahore was Rs 480 million and Rs 170 million had been paid, whereas remaining amount was still pending, the JIT member submitted.
He stated that the Omni Group obtained Rs 53.4 billion from four banks including Rs 24 billion from the Sindh Bank, in violation of the rules. The court was apprised that the expenses of Bilawal House were paid by the Omni Group.
To a court query, the member apprised that Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto and Younus Qidwai were shareholders in Parklane Real Estate whereas JV Opal was a joint venture. The land was owned by Hakim Ali Zardari and Bahria Town had 50 per cent shares in it, he added.
The member further submitted that investigations were completed regarding 32 accounts, whereas nine more fake
accounts were also detected during the process and Rs 6 billion transactions were made through them.
Subsequently, the bench adjourned the matter till December 31, with a direction to the Omni Group and others for filing their replies to the JIT report in five days. The court allowed time to the JIT for investigation into new fake accounts, whereas Bahria Town owner Malik Riaz was also summoned on the next hearing.
In response to a request for placing names of the accused on Exit Control List (ECL), the chief justice asked
the FIA to approach the interior ministry for the purpose.
APP
