Islamabad (September 11, 2018): Additional Attorney General of Pakistan on Tuesday informed the Apex Court that consultation is underway with concerned departments regarding bringing back former finance minister Ishaq Dar.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar resumed hearing a case pertaining to Dar’s return to the country.
As the hearing went underway, the additional attorney general said, “Dar’s diplomatic and other passport have been cancelled.”
“The Ministry of Interior has also blacklisted the former finance minister on National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) request,” he further said.
When the attorney general informed that Dar has no valid travel documents, the chief justice questioned, “Then how will he come back?”
“There is a system in place through which he can be brought back,” the attorney general responded.
As AAGP presented his arguments, Justice Nisar asked him “whether he has reviewed this matter”. The attorney general responded, “I have spoken to concerned authorities regarding Dar’s return.”
Justice Nisar then remarked, “You must be aware that NAB has declared Dar absconder, can the state still not bring him back?”
To this, Justice Ijazul Ahsan added, “We have an extradition treaty with the United Kingdom.”
However, the additional attorney general responded, “For that we will have to take this matter up in the courts over there.”
Further, during the hearing, the NAB prosecutor general informed the court, “We have found details of several of Dar’s properties and will submit their records together after inquiry.”
The attorney general added, “Consultations are under way with concerned departments to bring him back.”
Directing concerned departments to continue taking steps for Dar’s return, the court adjourned the hearing of the case till next week.
The former finance minister is accused of possessing assets disproportionate to his declared sources of income.
Earlier on September 10, Pakistan Tehreek Insaf’s government cancelled the diplomatic passport of Former finance minister and PML N leader Ishaq Dar and his wife.
According to details, Ishaq Dar and his wife are currently in London, Dar has to return passport within 30 days but they did not return the passport.
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Chief justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar ordered to bring back former finance minister Dar within 10 days.
Earlier Last week, the top judge of Pakistan expressed serious concern over issue pertaining to former finance minister Ishaq Dar’s return to the homeland.
During the hearing, CJP asked how the ex-minister can be brought back on which, the additional attorney general said that his return can be made through Interpol or by an agreement with the country he is living in.
The new government is taking steps to prepare an agreement with Britain regarding the return of the accused, he told.
CJP inquired whether he can announce a verdict against Dar if he refuses to come back to Pakistan. The additional attorney general was given 10-day time to thoroughly look into this case.
On the other hand, representative of foreign ministry said Interpol was contacted for Dar’s return however, its officials said that only counterpart departments can seek help in this regard.
NAB and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) are Interpol’s counterpart departments in Pakistan, he added.
Earlier on August 5, Dar replied to the ministry of Foreign Affairs and informed that it wasn’t possible for him and his wife to surrender their diplomatic passports unless they were provided alternate official passports, for which they are entitled to.
Ishaq Dar told the ministry that since he was unable to travel to Pakistan because he was undergoing medical treatment in London and sent to the ministry notarized letters from his doctor – duly attested by Foreign Ministry of UK – confirming that his medical treatment was continuing.
Ishaq Dar wrote to the ministry that he and his wife will be unable to surrender their diplomatic passport “prior to the issuance of official passports in lieu of the diplomatic passports”.
He requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “to direct the directorate general immigrations and passports to instruct the High Commission of Pakistan in London to take the biometrics” of himself and his spouse for the issuance of official passports.
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