News @ 3 - 21st December 2018

KARACHI: A banking court in Karachi on Friday extended the interim bail granted to former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur in a money laundering case.

The judge granted an extension in the PPP leaders’ bail until Jan 7. This is the fourth time they have been granted extension in their bail.

Mr Zardari and Ms Talpur appeared before the court for extension in their interim bail which ceased to have effect on Dec 21. Strict security arrangements were made with a strong contingent of security personnel deployed around the court.

Fearing the PPP leaders’ arrest, the party had planned protests across the country. A large number of party leaders and workers also gathered outside the court today.

The former president and his sister left the court premises shortly after bail extension.

Zardari and Talpur are facing a probe into a money laundering scam involving over Rs35 billion laundered through fake bank accounts. Zardari’s close aides Hussain Lawai and Anwar Majeed, head of the Omni Group are also being investigated in the scandal. They both are in custody.

A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed to probe into the mega money laundering scam had submitted its report to the Supreme Court.

The JIT report, comprises over 7500 pages and more than a dozen volumes, points out involvement of a key politician from Sindh in money-laundering through fake bank accounts, sources said.

The report submitted in the apex court also complained that the government of Sindh didn’t extend satisfactory cooperation to the investigation team.

According to sources, the report also said to be attached the evidence against Omni Group of Companies for their involvement in money-laundering.

It is pertinent to mention here that, Supreme Court had constituted a six-member joint investigation team to investigate the case.