Swiss court indicts Benazir, Zardari

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
1

Finally, we may start to see the looted millions start returning to Pakistan, as BB and het husband have to answer to the international courts.

Swiss court indicts Benazir, Zardari: NAB

A Swiss court has charged former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Asif Ali Zardari for using off-shore companies to receive kickbacks and commissions in the frame of entering into a governmental contract with the SGS and Cotecna and accepted the state of Pakistan as damaged party.

Announcing this, Chairman National Accountability Bureau, Lt-Gen Munir Hafiez described the decision of the Swiss court as a landmark in NAB’s efforts to repatriate the assets collected by disloyal public officials and concealed in Swiss bank accounts. The order of the judge was conveyed to Benazir, Zardari and their accomplice Jens Schlegelmilch through their attorneys. Benazir and Zardari have not appealed against the court decision. By virtue of court’s decision, the state of Pakistan has been handed over on Feb 17, 2003, in the first phase, case files containing over 3,000 documents. In Sept 2002. the State of Pakistan filed a request before the concerned judge in Geneva to become a damaged party in the proceedings on the plea that State of Pakistan in fact was passed on the cost of bribes paid by the SGS and Cotecna to Benazir and Zardari and their Swiss agent. On Nov 4, 2002, after hearing arguments of both sides, the Swiss judge gave his order in favour of the Government of Pakistan, accepting that Pakistan was directly damaged by actions of Benazir and Zardari and their Swiss agent.

In its judgment the court observed that Pakistan was, therefore, the victim of passive corruption or mismanagement of its public interest. Consequently Pakistan was also victim of money-laundering committed in Switzerland. The investigations evidenced that the SGS and Cotecna paid $13,535,437 to various companies and beneficiaries including Benazir, Asif Zardari, Nasir Hussain, ex-brother-in-law of Benazir. The Swiss agent of Benazir and Zardari, however, filed an appeal but by its decision dated 15-1-2003 the Court of Appeal-Geneva upheld the decision of accepting Pakistan as a damaged party.

2

so what happens to SGS/Cotecna? slap on the wrist for playing into bribery?

I think as damages they should go after the personal assets of BB and nawaz.

3

Well they should also go after a lot of the present ministers accounts, some with proven Swiss Bank accounts. Asif Zardari has been in jail for 7 years, without a single conviction by a single court. Even if he was convicted he would probably be released the next day because he's done a full term in jail!
The problem with White Collar Crimes in General is that it takes a good 7-10 years to get the money back. Detection and catching the people is very difficult especially when those people are in positions of power. Nawaz Sharifs style was truly in a class of his own, he'd issue time limited tax exemptions on Machinery or certain businesses, and then make sure his chosen people would benefit.

4

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Zakk: *
Well they should also go after a lot of the present ministers accounts, some with proven Swiss Bank accounts. Asif Zardari has been in jail for 7 years, without a single conviction by a single court. Even if he was convicted he would probably be released the next day because he's done a full term in jail!
The problem with White Collar Crimes in General is that it takes a good 7-10 years to get the money back. Detection and catching the people is very difficult especially when those people are in positions of power. Nawaz Sharifs style was truly in a class of his own, he'd issue time limited tax exemptions on Machinery or certain businesses, and then make sure his chosen people would benefit.
[/QUOTE]

Yep its all in a mess.

5

There are a GREAT deal of loot to recover and bring back to Pakistan - some $1.5 billion - Assets of BB](http://www.nab.gov.pk/benazir.htm)

I wonder how much that other grand thief Nawaz looted after her?

6

Personally I would like to see the break down of their Tax return for the past 20 years. How much asset they have shown officially and what they actually pooses.

Jail is not the solution for them, they both should shown their path to hell just like Mir Murtaza Bhutto. Oh well, it will be a family reunion in hell then.... :D

7

..the real looters are army persons!! Not only they have moral crimes during Pakistan’s history first by killing and raping bengalis then killing and torturing Sindhis in 80’s and the famous Ojri Camp debacle..

now the latest one…

http://www.dawn.com/2003/03/01/top2.htm

Opposition takes NAB to task

By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Feb 28: Opposition in the National Assembly on Friday accused the National Accountability Bureau of launching a vilification campaign against politicians though it recovered more money from military officials than politicians.

The lower house was informed during the question hour that the NAB had recovered over Rs2.5 billion under the head of plea-bargain/ voluntary returns, out of which only Rs269 million belonged to 17 politicians as compared to Rs451 million from the military officials. The highest amount of Rs1,051 million was recovered from the 87 bureaucrats, while Rs771 million was received from other sources.

PPP’s Naveed Qamar, through a supplementary question had raised the issue and demanded an explanation as to why politicians were always maligned for plundering the wealth of the nation.

**Mehmood Khan Achakzai even sought an apology for consistently maligning politicians during the three years of military rule when the list provided to the assembly reflected that politicians were not in the forefront of plunderers.
PPP secretary-general Raja Pervez Ashraf suggested replacement of the NAB chairman by a judge of the Supreme Court since the current chairman being a military officer was not worthy of leading the institution when the number of military officials surpassed the number of politicians. **

Liaquat Baloch of the Jamaat-i-Islami was of the view that the NAB had made itself controversial by granting relief even to the convicted persons. He demanded a full debate on the role of the NAB.

The press conference of the NAB chief on freezing of assets of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Zardari in Switzerland also came under attack and objections were raised as to why the NAB chairman commented on a sub judice matter.

One of the members said that the NAB actions had discouraged investment in the country because the cases which should be dealt by the banking courts were being pursued by the NAB.

Minister of state on parliamentary affairs Raza Hiraj tried to defend the NAB. However, he said that the new government was not responsible for the actions taken by the previous regime.

**He said that an state of emergency was imposed during the last three years and therefore he could not comment on the actions taken during this period. **

However, he said it were the politicians who had built this country and had not misappropriated the wealth of the nation. He also said that the government was ready to hold a debate on NAB.

The minister said that nobody whether politicians or the military personnel were above the law, adding NAB was a statutory body and the appointment of the present chairman had been made according to the relevant rules.

“Together we have to build Pakistan and therefore we should refrain from scoring points against each other,” he observed, adding that raising such issues would mean pitching civilians against the military.

Mr Hiraj explained that the organization could take cognizance and initiate legal proceedings.

The minister said that out of Rs2.5 billion, Rs2,371 million had been transferred to AGPR Federal Consolidated Fund, Rs34 million to the Central Board of Revenue, Rs90 million spent as lawyers’ fee, Rs08 million to Cooperatives and Rs07 million in NAB’s miscellaneous account.

During the last three years, the NAB had arrested 576 people, out of which 76 belonged to Sindh, 172 were from Punjab, 82 from Rawalpindi, 118 from Balochistan and 128 from the NWFP, he added.

8

That doesnt make BBB innocent now does it?

9

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Degas: *

..the real looters are...
[/QUOTE]

Are the one's whose numerous bank accounts have been frozen and have been indicted by the Swiss authorities. Do you think the Swiss are also carrying out a vendetta against BB?

But I'm glad that even the opposition parties recognise NAB as a legitimate government organisation, which they did not with other "accountability" bodies of previous governments. :)

10

so the couple is back .. posting at such timing :D Govt should post more news about PPP so that we can see u both here more often..

11

The Swiss say she is corrupt. Pakistan says she is corrupt. We have evidence. The Swiss agree. She is guilt. BBB is a corrupt looter. A common criminal.

12

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by CM: *
That doesnt make BBB innocent now does it?
[/QUOTE]

its a sub judice matter .. u didnt read the article.. army persons are above law in Pakistan..

13

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Degas: *

its a sub judice matter .. u didnt read the article.. army persons are above law in Pakistan..
[/QUOTE]

Answer the question and my post above this.

14

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Degas: *
....
[/QUOTE]

Still no answer to the Swiss actions against BB? This is something you have failed to answer for so long...but which I will contiune to ask you because it is for all the world to see now. Benazir Bhutto has brought infamy to Pakistan by being one of the very few ex-leaders of a country to have bank accounts frozen in Switzerland. She shares that infamy with the brutal dictators Marcos of the Philipines and Mobutu of former Zaire. So what do you say about the Swiss moves against BB's loot?

15

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by CM: *
The Swiss say she is corrupt. Pakistan says she is corrupt. We have evidence. The Swiss agree. She is guilt. BBB is a corrupt looter. A common criminal.
[/QUOTE]

I trust Lt-Gen Munir Hafiez as much as Osama .. what does "we" say about more corrupt "army persons"

16

te military people from corruption? or doe sproving that there is corruption in the military somehow cancel out BB's looting?

17

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Degas: *

I trust Lt-Gen Munir Hafiez as much as Osama .. what does "we" say about more corrupt "army persons"
[/QUOTE]

I suggest you read swiss newspapers. It is officially accepted by the Swiss legal system that she is corrupt.

18

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Degas: *

I trust Lt-Gen Munir Hafiez as much as Osama .. what does "we" say about more corrupt "army persons"
[/QUOTE]

What about the Swiss authorities? Are they lying to, and have been lying for all these years?

19

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Malik73: *

Still no answer to the Swiss actions against BB? This is something you have failed to answer for so long...but which I will contiune to ask you because it is for all the world to see now. Benazir Bhutto has brought infamy to Pakistan by being one of the very few ex-leaders of a country to have bank accounts frozen in Switzerland. She shares that infamy with the brutal dictators Marcos of the Philipines and Mobutu of former Zaire. So what do you say about the Swiss moves against BB's loot?
[/QUOTE]

Swiss govr only acts when some govt requests .. govt is always trying to malign BB.. but never try to checks accounts of their military elites.. Pakistan's brutal dictators would be along with the those mentioned by u..if only Govt have teh moral courage to investigate them.. ZIA, Akhtar Abdul Rahman, Fazal, Musharaf would be right there..

20

Degas its one simple question. Is BBB corrupt or not even though the Swiss have accepted the evidence and have found backaccounts under her name?