Zardari invokes presidential immunity in fake accounts case

ISLAMABAD: In a recent development, President Asif Ali Zardari has asserted his presidential immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution in front of a banking court, urging it to halt the ongoing legal proceedings against him regarding a case involving counterfeit bank accounts.

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Zardari lodged two petitions before the court through his legal representative, and an associate of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Farooq H Naik, advocate Muhammad Waqas, Dawn news reported. These applications detailed Zardari’s recent presidential election and cited Article 248(2) of the Constitution, which shields the president from legal actions during their tenure.

The specific clause, Article 248(2), explicitly states that “No criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the president or a governor in any court during his term of office.”

The application emphasised this constitutional provision, asserting that no criminal proceedings could persist against Zardari during his presidency. Consequently, it requested an immediate suspension of proceedings against him during his tenure.

Simultaneously, another plea was submitted on behalf of Zardari’s sister, Faryal Talpur. Her counsel sought a one-day exemption from court appearance, citing her engagement in the ongoing National Assembly session.

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Granting the exemption to Talpur, the court adjourned the hearing until May 29.

Zardari, along with Talpur and others, has been embroiled in a legal battle over alleged involvement in the creation of counterfeit bank accounts and their utilisation for illicit transactions totalling billions of rupees.