Former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari acquitted in graft case

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari was today acquitted in a corruption case related to the illegal construction of a polo ground at the Prime Minister House when his wife Benazir Bhutto was the premier.

An accountability court in its verdict said the accused has not been proven guilty.

Zardari's counsel Farook Naek told the court that not a single witness testified against the defendant.

He also said the records submitted by the prosecution were not genuine, as they were photocopies and have no legal significance.

The bench has reserved the judgement on May 20 after the hearing of about 17-year old case was completed.

The case is related to the illegal construction of the polo ground and other ancillary works at the Prime Minister House when Bhutto was the Prime Minister in 1990s.

The court has already acquitted other accused, including ex-principal secretary to Bhutto, Saeed Mehdi, in the same case, while the case against Shafi Sehwani, ex chief of Capital Development Authority, was withdrawn following his death.

The polo ground case was reopened in October 2013 when Zardari lost immunity after stepping down as the President.

He still faces four corruption cases dating back to the same period.