Abb Takk News

Islamabad (December 21, 2017): The Accountability Court hearing the NAB references against former federal minister Ishaq Dar for accumulating assets beyond means adjourned the hearing till January 2 without any proceedings today.

At the start of hearing today the Judge of Accountability Court asked the NAB prosecutor the date of next hearing of Dar’s petition challenging issuance of arrest warrant and being declared proclaimed offender by the Accountability Court at the Islamabad High Court.

When informed that yesterday Islamabad High Court stayed the proceedings at the Accountability Court till January 17, 2018, the Judge of the Accountability Court Muhammad Bashir asked about the copy of the IHC’s order the NAB prosecutor replied that an application is being moved for it.Asking the court to adjourn the hearing after the winter vacation NAB prosecutor Imran Shafiq said that the said IHC order will be submitted by then. This will also gauge Ishaq Dar’s sincerity whether he appears before the court, he added.

When the Court asked that who has appeared on Dar’s behalf the NAB prosecutor informed the court that no one has appeared on behalf of Dar.

The court later adjourned the hearing of the case till January 2.

It may be mentioned here that Islamabad High Court had stayed Accountability Court’s proceedings of NAB references against former federal finance minister Ishaq Dar till January 17, 2018.

The court headed by Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mian Gul Hassan granted the stay on Ishaq’s petition challenging issuance of arrest warrant and being declared proclaimed offender by the Accountability Court.

Ishaq’s counsel argued that his client has heart problems and undergoing medical treatment at a London hospital but he was declared proclaimed offender by the Accountability Court which also issued his warrant of arrest.

Dar’s counsel had asked the court to order Accountability Court to take action against his client.On this, court asked Dar’s counsel Qazi Misbah that is Dar the sole respondent in the said reference to who replied that an impression is being given as if Dar is running away from the court. We don’t intend to run away from court, my client is undergoing treatment in London and wants to be tried through representative.

The accountability court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Dar on Nov 14. On Nov 21, the court had declared him an absconder and warned his guarantor, Ahmed Ali Qadoosi, that his surety bonds worth Rs5 million would be confiscated if Dar failed to join the trial proceedings.

In a hearing on Dec 14, the accountability court had declared Dar a proclaimed offender and sought a report on properties and assets of his guarantor from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Dar had subsequently moved the IHC against the issuance of non-bailable arrest warrants for him and an order declaring him a proclaimed offender.Earlier on Tuesday, the IHC granted a 24-hour stay on the accountability court’s judgment about confiscation of property of Dar’s guarantor.

Hearing the petition filed by Dar’s guarantor Ahmed Ali Qadoosi against the judgment of the accountability court, the IHC granted a 24-hour stay on the order, a day after the investigation officer of the NAB submitted details of the guarantor’s movable properties to the accountability court.

Dar is accused of possessing assets disproportionate to his declared sources of income.

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

Related News:

NAB Decides To Bring Back Ishaq Dar Through Interpol

Assets Beyond Means: AC Issues Ishaq Dar’s Bailable Warrant