ISLAMABAD: The accountability court on Wednesday dismissed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s plea seeking exemption from personal appearance and ordered his guarantor to appear in person and ensure that Dar also appears before the court at the next hearing in connection with the graft case against him.
The minister, who is said to be in London for heart treatment, is accused by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of possessing assets disproportionate to his declared sources of income.
During the hearing, Ishaq Dar’s secondary counsel, Ayesha Hamid, requested the court to grant her client exemption from appearance on medical grounds and argued that the court should continue the case by approving the appointment of a legal representative.
The NAB prosecutor opposed the request and sought issuance of non-bailable arrest warrants for the minister due to his third absence from the proceedings.
Judge Mohammad Bashir dismissed Dar’s exemption plea as well as NAB’s request for non-bailable warrants, ordering that the bailable warrants which were issued against Dar on October 30 be maintained.
The judge observed that when the minister appears next, the court will have a separate medical examination conducted to ascertain the nature of Dar’s ailment.
The court further ordered Dar’s bail guarantor to ensure the minister’s presence at the next hearing, warning that the surety bond of Rs 5 million would be confiscated in case of a no-show.
