Ishaq Dar assets reference: Prosecution witnesses record statements

1

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Wednesday heard a corruption reference pertaining to owning assets beyond means against former finance minister Ishaq Dar. 

As Judge Muhammad Bashir of Accountability Court - I resumed hearing the case, the prosecution presented its second witness, Ishtiaq Ahmed, to record their statement. 

After Ahmed, prosecution witness Wasif Hussain's statement was recorded. The latter was posted in the Cabinet Division. 

Hussain apprised the court that 11 notifications had been submitted in the case so far. 

The court then adjourned the hearing till August 7.  

On July 21, the Federal Investigation Agency issued a 'red notice' for former minister to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), sources had informed Geo News.

Sources said the Interpol has been requested to assist in bringing back Dar to Pakistan to face the corruption case against him.

Dar, a former senator, has been in London since October last year on account of his medical treatment and has been declared an absconder in the corruption case against him.

Sources said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had requested the Interior Ministry for the issuance of the red notice. Late last year, an executive board meeting, chaired by Chairman NAB Javed Iqbal, had decided to bring Dar back to Pakistan with the help of the Interpol.

"He [Dar] is suffering from no such ailment that cannot be treated in Pakistan," a notification issued by the anti-graft body had said.

Meanwhile, the same court which is hearing the Al Azizia and Flagship corruption cases against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif adjourned proceedings until tomorrow owing to the ongoing appeals of Nawaz and his family members against the court’s Avenfield verdict. 

The case

The former finance minister is accused of possessing assets disproportionate to his declared sources of income.

A reference against the former finance minister was filed by NAB in light of the Supreme Court's July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case.

Dar had earlier been declared a proclaimed offender by the accountability court due to his continuous absence from the proceedings.

In November 2017, then-prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had accepted Dar’s request to be relieved of his duties as the finance minister.