Pakistan:Ex-president summoned in money laundering case

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan's Supreme Court Monday summoned the country's former President Asif Ali Zardari for alleged involvement in a massive money laundering, according to the court records and local media.

Headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, three-member bench also barred Zardari and others accused from trading properties in the case at the Supreme Court's Lahore branch.

The court ordered them to submit their replies by December 31, local broadcaster Geo News reported.

In a report submitted to the judged on Monday, a joint investigation team -- set up by the Supreme Court to probe the charges -- claimed that Zardari and his aides had been involved in transactions of billions of rupees (local currency) through fake accounts.

Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), for its part, rebutted the government allegations, terming them “a cock and bull story".

“We have heard such types of stories (investigation report) in the past as well. And they all eventually proved wrong", Qamar Zaman Kaira, a central PPP leader and a former information minister, told reporters.

"We will face all the charges in the court of law", he added.

The government last week announced it was going to file a reference against Zardari to seek his disqualification for not disclosing his alleged assets, particularly a posh apartment in New York, before contesting the July 2018 elections.

He was elected as a member of the lower house -- the National Assembly -- from his hometown Nawabshah of southern Sindh province in the last general elections.

Zardari’s PPP, which has ruled the country four times since its inception in 1967, came third in the July elections securing 51 seats in 342-member National Assembly.

It is currently ruling the Sindh province -- its stomping ground -- for the record third time in a row.