ISLAMABAD: An accountability court hearing the illegal assets reference against Senator Ishaq Dar reserved its ruling on the former finance minister’s petition challenging the freezing of his assets order on Wednesday.
Dar, a close aide of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif, is accused of possessing assets disproportionate to his declared sources of income. A reference against him was filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in light of the Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case.
Dar, following his indictment, has been a no-show in the proceedings after he departed for London in October last year seeking medical treatment.
Dar had been declared a proclaimed offender by the accountability court and his property and assets were also ordered to be seized.
Appearing on behalf of Dar, Advocate Qazi Misbah requested the court to dismiss its order of freezing and seizure of Dar’s assets.
Opposing the plea, NAB prosecutor Imran Shafique argued that the defendant should have approached the court within 14 days of the order which was not done. In response, Misbah said that he received the order late otherwise swift response would have been conducted.
Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir then reserved the verdict and will announce it on February 14.
The next hearing of the assets reference case will be held on February 8, when two witnesses are expected to appear before the court and record their statements.
On Jan 24, the court ordered partial restoration of the accounts of the Hajveri Trust, a charitable organisation founded by former finance minister Ishaq Dar, whose accounts were seized last year as the NAB initiated proceedings against him in a corruption reference.