ISLAMABAD-In a big development in Park Lane Company corruption reference, two former presidents of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) had expressed willingness to become approvers against the former president Asif Ali Zardari and others.
NBP former presidents Syed Ali Raza and Syed Qamar Hussain’s application had been approved by the NAB chairman to become approvers in the corruption case.
Syed Ali Raza was president of NBP when loan was issued to Park Lane’s alleged front company Parthenon. However, Qamar Hussain was part of the committee who approved the loan, said a NAB report.
Ali Raza, in his statement, said Asif Ali Zardari had introduced Omni Group’s head Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed when he was president. Zardari had told the bank officials that those two persons would convey his messages to them and later the loan was issued on pressure of former president, said the investigation report.
The NAB had established a list of 61 witnesses against accused which include all officers of National Bank Credit Company, nine officers of NAB Rawalpindi’s investigation team and others. The NAB had recorded the statements of all 61 witnesses under Section 161 and they would be testified before court after indictment of accused.
The NAB investigation report said it was accused Younis Qadwai who sent the amounts of loan and kickbacks to fake accounts.
On the other hand, during the hearing on a plea seeking dismissal of Park Lane reference against Asif Ali Zardari, NAB has submitted a pay order of transferring money into bank accounts of rickshaw owner and Faloda seller.
The NAB stated that Rs200 millions were transferred into an account of ‘riksha driver’ on name of dream trading. Similarly, Rs200 millions were sent to the account of a Faloda seller on the name of ocean enterprises.
NAB Additional Prosecutor General Sardar Muzafar Abbasi also concluded his arguments in Zardari’s petition seeking dismissal of Park Lane corruption reference.
The NAB alleged that those amounts were taken from the NBP as loan and kept into the accounts of above people.
Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi said the top court had already noted that those accounts of poor people were misused.
He said white collar crime used to be committed in such way. The NAB had proofs to prove its allegations, he said adding after conclusion of the arguments, the court sought cross-arguments from Zardari’s lawyer on next date.
The court also postponed the indictment of former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and others till August 7, in mega money laundering and fake accounts references.