South Asia News
Pakistan's Zardari cleared of duty evasion charges
By DPA
May 13, 2008, 7:21 GMT

Islamabad - A high court in Pakistan's southern Sindh province Tuesday acquitted Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain premier Benazir Bhutto and her political successor, of charges of evading customs duty, a news report said.

Zardari, who now leads Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP), was accused in 1997 of airlifting eight crates carrying artefacts to London through the national carrier without paying customs duty and freight charges.

Justice Binyamin Khan of the Sindh High Court on Tuesday exonerated the PPP leader of the charges on the grounds of insufficient evidence while ruling on revision applications moved by the accused, the Geo news channel reported.

The court also acquitted the then Pakistani high commissioner to Britain, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, and PPP loyalist Hussain Haqqani, who were also indicted in the case.

Haqqani is being tipped as Pakistan's new envoy to the United States after Zardari's party formed a coalition government following outright defeat of President Pervez Musharraf's political backers in February 18 vote.

Zardari, who was facing many graft and corruption charges, found an escape route when Musharraf enacted a law last October that provided for dropping of legal cases against public figures, reportedly to gain support for his controversial re-election.

However, the amnesty order was challenged in Pakistan's Supreme Court that used to be headed by independent-minded top judge Iftikhar Chaudhry, who was sacked by Musharraf on November 3 after declaring emergency rule.

The new court comprising judges hand-picked by Musharraf allowed selected politicians to benefit from the controversial ordinance, which could still be revoked if the challenges were again taken up.