–Rana Afzal may become junior finance minister
ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Monday set September 27 as the date to indict Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in connection with investigations against him for the accumulation of assets and funds beyond known sources of income.
The court, while supplying copies of the reference and other material consisting of 23 volumes to Dar, said it intended to conduct day-to-day hearing in the reference to conclude the trial within the stipulated time. Upon being requested by the counsel to extend time for framing of charges (indictment) as bulk of record has to be perused, Judge Muhammad Bashir quipped, “will you plead guilty when charges would be framed?”
In compliance with the earlier issued bailable arrest warrants, Dar’s counsel submitted bonds worth Rs1 million. Further, the court ordered the federal minister to submit Rs5 million to ensure his presence in the trial. The court will resume hearing on September 27 when charges will be framed against Dar. Talking to reporters after the hearing, Dar’s lawyer Amjad Pervaiz said that disqualification is not mandatory when a holder of public office is being tried in a criminal case.
“There is no bar under any law of the country that any holder of public office if tried under criminal charges stands disqualified or he cannot retain that office,” he said. Last week, the accountability court issued bailable arrest warrants against Dar.
PML-N strategy
Keeping the looming indictment in view, the ruling party Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), which was already looking for the alternative, is considering the name of PML-N MNA Rana Afzal Khan to replace Ishaq Dar. However, the insiders claimed that Rana Afzal would be State Minister for Finance.
Miftah Ismail’s, special assistant to the PM on Economic Affairs, name also came up for the post but it is being speculated that he might become the adviser to the PM on finance, in case he is not given the post of the minister.
Source said PML-N’s London huddle had decided to take resignation from Ishaq Dar, adding that “the ruling party was also expected to finalise the name for the next finance minister in another meeting held at Punjab House in Islamabad on Monday”.
As pressure is mounting on Dar to leave the ministry and focus on his own personal cases at NAB, he is likely to resign as the minister in coming days.
“Market and investors have almost made up their minds for the situation of economy after Dar. His successor, who will be running the ministry for next five to six months, may face more challenges as Dar had been playing with figures,” an analyst claimed, adding that the major task of the finance minister was to keep the CPEC-related projects unharmed.
During the previous court hearing on September 20, the federal minister didn’t appear before the court following which his bailable arrest warrant was issued. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also raided his house and frozen his assets.
Dar, who is now confined to finance division, having limited involvement in decision-making and economic affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
The Supreme Court had directed NAB to prepare references against the Sharif family regarding Al-Azizia Steel Mill, London flats and 16 offshore companies. A reference against Dar was also directed to be prepared for having assets more than he had declared.
Dar, along with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had returned to Pakistan from the UK on Sunday night.