‘An independent court convicted BB, Zardari’

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau Chairman Lt-General Munir Hafiz on Thursday said an independent Swiss court, and not an investigating officer, convicted former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Asif Zardari on corruption and money laundering charges.

Speaking at a Radio Pakistan programme, Gen Hafiz said the case against the couple was filed in a court in Switzerland in 1998 and the Swiss government and judiciary completed the investigation, while Ms Bhutto’s counsel represented her in the court.

He said Swiss banks had submitted proofs in the court and Ms Bhutto and her spouse were convicted after the completion of the court’s proceedings.

‘Summons were served’: The Swiss court’s summons were served on Ms Bhutto and her spouse Asif Ali Zardari and their lawyers had tried to prolong the legal proceedings in Switzerland, British lawyer Jeremy P Carver said in London on Thursday.

Mr Carver, who pursued corruption cases against Benazir Bhutto in the UK on behalf of the government of Pakistan in 1997-98, told APP the summons were served on Mr Zardari in the Lahore Jail. He said the summons were also delivered to Ms Bhutto. He said counsel for the couple were involved throughout the legal process in Switzerland and had filed dozens of appeals to delay the process. He said the case decided by the Swiss court was ‘one of at least half a dozen international cases’ pending against Ms Bhutto on charges of money laundering. —NNI/APP

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