ISLAMABAD: An Accountability Court (AC) of Islamabad Wednesday dismissed a plea of Ishaq Dar seeking his exemption from personal appearance and conduct trial through a representative in a reference regarding assets beyond known sources of income.
The court also maintained bailable arrest warrants against him and rejected the NAB request seeking non-bailable arrest warrants for Finance Minister for his non-appearance.
The court directed to serve notices to the Dar’s guarantors and observed that surety bonds of the accused could be confiscated if he didn’t appear on next hearing.
AC Judge Muhammad Bashir took up the reference against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for hearing filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in compliance of Supreme Court orders.
As the hearing began, the Dar’s counsel Ayesha Hamid requested the court to grant exemption to his client from hearing and conduct the trial through a representative due to Dar’s medial issues.
He informed the court that Dar had been admitted to a hospital due to cardiac issues that had led him to stay in UK. Mr. Dar has also been underwent angiography and angioplasty during his treatment, he added.
On the other hand, the NAB prosecutor opposed the Dar’s request and argued that it was just an attempt to delay the case proceeding. He claimed that Dar had no such illness, which could stop him from appearing before the court.
He requested the court to issue non-bailable arrest warrants for Ishaq Dar for his non-appearance, which was turned down by the accountability court.
After hearing the arguments, the court earlier reserved its judgment in Dar’s plea and later dismissed the plea while announcing its decision regarding Finance Minister’s exemption from attendance.
It may be mentioned here that during last week hearing, the court had also maintained his bailable arrest warrants and rejected his application seeking exemption from personal hearing.
The NAB had filed a reference against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar regarding assets beyond known sources of income in compliance of apex court's judgment in Panama papers case.—APP
