*LAHORE – Former President Asif Ali Zardari lands in big trouble in fakebank accounts case and money laundering to the tune of Rs 35 billion.*
*The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to former president andPakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari after a jointinvestigation team held the Zardari Group and Omni Group responsible forallegedly laundering billions of rupees through fictitious bank accounts.*
A bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian SaqibNisar, directed the PPP co-chairman to submit his replies until Dec 31.Meanwhile, it ordered the authorities concerned to forfeit all propertiesowned by the Omni Group and Zardari until a final verdict in the case.
The court gave these directions after going through the report of the JointInvestigation Team (JIT) which was tasked to probe the laundering ofbillions of rupees through fake bank accounts.
CJP Nisar remarked: “This is not a Pakistan which used to be and wheregovernment lands were given away.” “These companies used to run expenses ofthe houses of Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari,” he added.
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The summary of the JIT report was displayed on a projector in the courtroom.
The report revealed the Omni Group companies used to pay the Bilwalfamily’s expenditures to the tune of Rs200 million a month. “Money wasfunneled through fictitious bank accounts for the construction of Karachiand Lahore Bilawal Houses,” it said.
