Pakistani court reopens graft case against Zardari

An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Friday initiated the proceedings against former president Asif Ali Zardari in a graft case against him, said a media report.

The petition was filed by special prosecutor Raja Khurram Ejaz on behalf of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry at the Rawalpindi Accountability Court, Dawn online reported.

Zardari's immunity had ended with the expiry of his presidential tenure on September 8, 2013.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's name, who was also a co-accused in the case, was eliminated from the assets reference following her death in 2007.

Approving the application, the court ordered Zardari to appear before it on April 27.

The assets reference was initiated against Zardari and Benazir in 2001.

In 2002, the former president had challenged the assets reference, which pertains to his movable and immovable property in Pakistan and abroad.

The prosecution, in the assets reference, alleged that Zardari had purchased a number of properties in the name of his frontmen and had deposited the money from kickbacks in different Swiss banks.