Former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari will appear before a court here on Thursday to face five graft cases filed against him 17 years ago, according to a media report on Wednesday.
Zardari’s lawyer and former Law Minister Farooq H Naek had written letters to Secretary Interior Shahid Khan and Inspector General of Islamabad Police Sikandar Hayat seeking adequate security for Zardari during hearing of the cases at Islamabad’s Accountability Court.
He demanded a bullet—proof vehicle and a bomb disposal squad for his client, Dawn daily reported.
Zardari’s spokesperson Farhatullah Babar, however, declined to confirm or deny that the former President would appear before the court tomorrow.
But, he said that Zardari’s lawyers had appeared before the court and if the court would seek personal appearance of Zardari he would attend the court’s proceedings.
Cases against Zardari were made by Ehtesab Bureau — the previous version of National Accountability Bureau — which pursued these cases in 1997 when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif headed the government.
During the previous hearing, Judge Mohammad Bashir had asked Naek to write to the government to make necessary security arrangements for Zardari.
“I have written separate letters to secretary interior and the IG Islamabad and asked them to arrange foolproof security for Zardari on the hearing day,” Naek said, adding that the Interior Ministry had not responded to his letters.
