Pak's anti-corruptionn watchdog files fresh cases against Sharif, Gilani, Zardari in money laundering case

Pakistan's anti-corruption watchdog on Monday filed fresh cases against former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Yousuf Raza Gilani and former president Asif Ali Zardari for misuse of authority and buying vehicles given by foreign leaders as gifts.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed the cases in an accountability court in Islamabad.

According to NAB, during his tenure as prime minister, Gilani relaxed rules to allow Zardari and Sharif to buy expensive vehicles gifted to them by foreign leaders.

As per law, the vehicles were state properties and could not be used for personal purposes.

NAB claimed that Zardari and Sharif used dishonest and illegal means and bought the vehicles by paying a "nominal payment of 15 per cent of the total value".

It said Zardari made the payments for the vehicles through the Omni Group CEO and his son "for which he has no plausible justification".

"It was established during investigation that these amounts are in the context of illegitimate laundered proceeds for the benefit of the accused," the NAB said.

NAB had also named Omni Group CEO Khawaja Anwar Majid and his son Khawaja Abdul Ghani Majid as accused in the case.

Gilani was also accused of illegally relaxing the rules about the acceptance and disposal of gifts to prime minister and president.

"The accused (Gilani) floated and suppressed the law and the procedure to grant undue concession, and benefits resulting in wrongful loss to the national exchequer," NAB said.