ISLAMABAD: In a major development, former president Asif Ali Zardari and sister Faryal Talpur appeared before the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday in the fake accounts case.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman and sister arrived at the agency’s Islamabad zonal office, accompanied by lawyer Farooq H Naek, Senator Sherry Rehman, Aitzaz Ahsan, Naveed Qamar, Qamar Zaman Qaira and Khursheed Shah. The brother sister-duo recorded their statement in the Rs35 billion money laundering case and also filled out a questionnaire.
The in-camera appearance lasted approximately 40 minutes, during which Zardari termed the case as politically motivated and registered during the last government’s tenure.
Zardari and Talpur are under investigation by the FIA, for alleged money laundering through at least ’29’ fake accounts, along with former Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) chairman Hussain Lawai and Summit Bank Senior Vice-President Taha Raza. A seven-member JIT led by FIA Additional Director General Najaf Mirza is carrying out the investigation.
The Supreme Court (SC) had earlier issued directives in the suo motu case and had instructed relevant authorities to investigate the matter.
