National News

ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT ONLINE):An Accountability Court (AC) of Islamabad Thursday rejected the request of
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to issue non-bailable arrest warrants for
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and directed the accused to appear before court
on November 8, in a reference regarding assets beyond known sources of income.
The court also maintained the bail-able arrest warrants for Mr. Dar till next hearing of the reference
regarding assets beyond known sources of income.
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.
The finance minister couldn’t appear before the accountability court due to his stay in London owing to health
issues.
The secondary counsel for Ishaq Dar, Ayesah Hamid and minister’s guarantor Ahmed Ali appeared before the court while Khawaja Harris couldn’t attend the proceeding. The prosecution team and four witnesses in the case were also in attendance.
As the hearing began, Ayesha Hamid informed the court about the health condition of Mr. Dar in London and requested the court to grant his client exemption from hearing.
She submitted the medical certificate of Ishaq Dar and filed an application before court seeking finance minister’s
exemption from hearing. She said her client would be underway of an angiography on November 3, in London.
Hamid informed the court that minister’s detailed health examination would be conducted on Friday after which
his return date will be finalized.
Ahmed Ali apprised the court that Ishaq Dar was under treatment in London and due to which he couldn’t attend the proceeding. On which, the court asked the guarantor to submit a written statement in this regard.
However, the NAB prosecutor Imran Shafique objected over the medical report and contended that the report is belonging to a private clinic. He contended that angiography could be done in Pakistan.
He requested the court to issue non-bailable arrest warrants of the accused due to his non appearance with regard to attend reference proceeding.
After hearing the arguments from both sides, the court dismissed the NAB request to issue non-bailable arrest warrants for Ishaq Dar and summoned the accused on November 8. The court also directed
NAB to verify the medical report of Ishaq Dar.
Meanwhile, the NAB submitted details of Dar’s assets and bank accounts with the court to seek court
endorsement regarding freezing the bank accounts by Chairman NAB.
NAB prosecutor said the chairman NAB was authorized to freeze the bank accounts of accused. He said dysfunctional and active bank accounts were included in the list. He said the finance
minister also owned assets abroad but the bureau does not have relevant documents so
far.
Opposing the NAB prosecutor stance, junior counsel Ayesha Hamid said once a reference was filed, the chairman NAB was not authorized to freeze assets in accordance of law. The accounts could only
be frozen by the Chairman NAB at inquiry stage of the reference, she argued.