The federal law officer did not oppose the quashment application filed by PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in artifacts and antiques smuggling and tax evasion case and prayed the court to pass order in accordance with the law.

Asif Zardari had filed application against Special Court’s order that rejected his acquittal application on September 17, 1999. He, along with ex-High Commissioner of Pakistan to UK Wajid Shamsul Hasan and deputy collector Customs Nazir Shah, was charged with smuggling artifacts and antiques to London by evading export duties and freight charges and causing loss to national exchequer.

The consignment containing artifacts, statuettes, precious stones and centuries-old swords and daggers was shipped from Karachi to London in eight wooden containers. The case is pending before the trial court since 1997.

Zardari’s counsel Abu Bakar Zardari and Adnan Karim submitted that there was no evidence against him and the case was instituted in 1997 out of political spite. He submitted that there was no likelihood of the trial court proceedings resulting in his conviction, as the trial court had already acquitted two co-defendants ex-PIA managing director Nawaz Tiwana and the then deputy director Customs Nazir Shah from the said charges.

The counsel further submitted that SHC had also quashed the proceedings against co-accused customs official, saying that the order was not challenged in superior court, therefore, the rule of consistency should be extended to the applicant. Wajid Shamusl Hasan’s counsel Mian Khan Malik also concluded his arguments.