Toshakhana reference: Court issues bailable arrest warrant for Zardari.

ISLAMABAD -- An accountability court on Tuesday issued a bailable arrest warrant for former president Asif Ali Zardari in the Toshakhana reference, in which he is one of the main suspects along with former prime ministers Yousaf Raza Gilani and Nawaz Sharif.

During today's proceedings, Zardari's counsel Farooq H Naek told the court that he had already filed a plea in court to exempt his client from appearing before the court.

'I am a senior lawyer and I am telling the court that Asif Zardari will be present at the next hearing,' Naek said.

Naek told Justice Asghar Ali that summoning Zardari to court will cause a lot of people to gather and cause a rush, which will be dangerous due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The court, however, rejected the former president's plea and issued a bailable arrest warrant for him.

"I'll give a long date, Asif Zardari should appear before the court," said Justice Asghar.

NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi countered Naek's stance by saying that if a rush were to develop due to Zardari's presence in court, then it was the administration's job to control it.

"He [Zardari] should not be given any relief, non-bailable arrest warrants for him should be issued," the prosecutor...