ISLAMABAD: (DNA) – The Islamabad High Court on Thursday granted pre-arrest bail to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur in the case pertaining to money laundering of billions through fictitious bank accounts.

PPP’s top leadership, Omni Group’s Anwar Majeed and his son Abdul Ghani Majeed, former Pakistan Stock Exchange chairperson Hussain Lawai, Summit Bank Senior Vice-President Taha Raza are among those being investigated in a case related to money laundering of billions through fictitious bank accounts. The matter is also being heard by the Supreme Court.

Zardari filed four petitions while Talpur filed one, seeking pre-arrest bail to pre-empt any attempt by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to take them into custody. All petitions are being heard in one hearing by an IHC bench.

In the petition, the former president–who was granted 10-day protective bail by the Sindh High Court (SHC) on March 19—requested the court to grant him bail till the conclusion of the trial and instruct NAB to reveal details of the ongoing cases against him.

The move comes after a banking court in Karachi accepted the National Accountability Bureau’s request to transfer the money laundering case to Islamabad. The bureau filed the transfer appeal following the Supreme Court’s decision in the fake accounts case wherein the joint investigation team (JIT) report and evidence collected was transmitted to the bureau for further investigations.