Court orders unfreezing of Dar’s Hajveri Trust account

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court on Wednesday ordered unfreezing of former finance minister Ishaq Dar's Hajveri Trust bank account on welfare grounds. 

Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir had earlier today reserved the decision on Senator Dar's plea to reopen some of his charity organisation's frozen bank accounts. 

Dar, a close aide of Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif, is accused of possessing assets disproportionate to his declared sources of income. A reference against him was filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in light of the Supreme Court's July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case.

Dar, following his indictment, has been a no-show in the proceedings after he departed for London in October last year seeking medical treatment.

Qazi Misbaul Hasan represented Dar in today's proceedings. NAB officials submitted their response to Dar's plea, after which the judge reserved his decision and adjourned the hearing until January 31.

During the proceedings, the NAB prosecutor said that the social welfare organisation was misused, adding that the bureau however does not want the welfare of children to be affected.

Dar's counsel informed the court that around Rs0.8 million to Rs1 million are the monthly expenses of the orphanage. "The children will be out on the streets if the accounts are not reopened," he contended.

Hasan asked the judge for more time to peruse NAB's response to his petition.

Ishaq Dar requests accountability court to unfreeze Hajvery Trust accounts

Court issues notice to NAB seeking response over the petition

On January 10, Dar had petitioned the court stating that Hajvery Trust is an organisation for orphans, where 93 orphan boys and girls are being looked after and for their sake, the court must unfreeze the trust's bank accounts.

At the last hearing of the corruption case against Dar on January 22, three witnesses recorded their statements.