ISLAMABAD: An Accountability Court (AC) has issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for not appearing despite of repeated summons during the hearing of a reference.
AC Judge Muhammad Bashir took up the reference against Ishaq Dar for hearing, filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in compliance of Supreme Court orders in Panama papers case.
As the hearing commenced, judge Muhammad Bashir asked the guarantor for Ishaq Dar, Ahmed Ali Qudoosi regarding attendance of finance minister.
The guarantor informed the court that Ishaq Dar was in London for his heart treatment and he would fully recover in three to six weeks in the light of medical report.
Once he recovers, he would be able to attend the court proceeding, he added. The Judge asked the guarantor whether the three weeks have not passed as the medical report was submitted on November 6.
The court subsequently issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Ishaq Dar for not appearing to attend its proceeding. It may be mentioned here that during the last hearing the same court had dismissed a plea of Ishaq Dar, seeking his exemption from personal appearance and conduct his trial through a legal representative.
The court also maintained bailable arrest warrants against him and rejected the NAB request for non-bailable arrest warrants for Finance Minister in the last hearing. The court had also directed to confiscate the surety bonds worth Rs five million if the accused wouldn’t appear on next hearing.
The NAB had filed a reference against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar regarding assets beyond known sources of income in compliance of apex court July 28, judgment in Panama papers case.
