SC suspends Ishaq Dar’s Senate membership after no-show

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  • CJP rejects former finance minister’s medical certificate, says Dar will have to appear in court ‘one day’

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily suspended the Senate membership of former finance minister Ishaq Dar after he failed to appear before the court.

Hearing a case against the acceptance of Dar’s nomination papers in the recent Senate elections, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar questioned why Dar did not show up in court despite being summoned at the last hearing.

Submitting a medical certificate, Dar’s counsel Nasir Bhutta informed the court that his client is unwell and will appear once he is able enough.

The court rejected Dar’s medical report, adjourning the case until after Eidul Fitr.

“Dar will have to appear in court one day,” the chief justice remarked.

Dar’s lawyer informed the court that he was unwell which is why he had been unable to appear before the court.

“Whenever someone is ill, their medical certificate is presented,” Justice Ijazul Ahsan pointed out.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan further remarked that the former minister seems healthy when he appears on TV but submits medical reports to the court stating his inability to return to the country.

The court gave the orders of Dar’s suspension from Senate while hearing a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Nawazish Ali Pirzada — who had received 12 votes as a Senate candidate on a technocrat seat from Punjab against Dar’s 155.

Senator-elect Dar is suffering from left arm and chest pains resulting from a spinal issue in his neck and may require surgery if his condition does not improve within a month, the SC was informed on Monday.

The apex court had summoned the former finance minister, who has been in London since October 2017 and was declared absconder by an accountability court in a corruption reference, on May 8 in a petition challenging his election to the Senate.

A medical report submitted by Dar’s counsel in the SC on Monday, which has been issued by the London Neurosurgery Partnership and dated April 26, stated that Dar has also had cardiac issues and had to undergo an emergency stent implant in the past.

On February 17, an appellate election tribunal of the LHC had granted Dar permission to contest Senate elections, setting aside an order of the returning officer who had rejected his nomination papers.

He was successfully elected to the Senate from Punjab but is yet to be administered oath.

ZAFARUL HAQ, RABBANI EXPRESS CONCERN: 

Meanwhile, Leader of the House in Senate Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq and former Chairman of Senate Mian Raza Rabbani expressed their reservations over the suspension of Ishaq Dar.

Speaking on a point of order in Senate, Raja Zafarul Haq said Ishaq Dar was “seriously sick” and could not appear before the respective courts due to health reasons.

Rabbani said the Senate should look into the matter after issuance of detailed judgment from the apex court.