Zardari wants Benazir's jewellery seized by Swiss authorities

Image
Press Trust of India Islamabad
Last Updated : Mar 26 2014 | 8:26 PM IST
Fifteen years after the Swiss authorities seized slain former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's USD 300,000 worth jewellery in connection with a graft case, her husband and ex-President Asif Ali Zardari wants them back.
The PPP leader has applied for the return of the jewellery through an offshore company.
The government of Pakistan has been informed by its lawyer in Switzerland about Zardari's latest move, Geo News reported today.
The ornaments worth over USD 300,000 were seized in 1997 during the course of investigation of SGS and Cotecna scandal. The case files were closed after promulgation of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in 2008 but the fate of the jewellery was yet to be decided.
The lawyer has sought guidance of the government so that he could submit reply with the Swiss attorney who sought Islamabad's response within 10 days, the report said.
Barrister Munawar Akhtar, a lawyer from a Pakistani law firm, said that Pakistan government should oppose this application by the former President within 48 hours as it could be deprived from the ornaments this time around.
Federal Law Secretary Raza Khan said he had no information about the letter since he was on a foreign tour.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Mar 26 2014 | 8:26 PM IST

Next Story