Pakistan awaits UK’s response in Ishaq Dar case, SC told

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FILE PHOTO: Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is seen after a party meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan September 26, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Mahmood/File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Additional Attorney General (AAG) informed the top court that a response is awaited from the British government regarding the matter of deportation of former finance minister Ishaq Dar, who is absconding in assets beyond means case.

The apex court on Monday took up the case of Dar’s persistent absence from the case hearing. The AAG told the court that Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote a letter in this regard to the British High Commissioner on September 13 and then the letter was forwarded to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on Sept 21 .

The FCO has forwarded the letter to the British Home Department for the course of action and now we are looking forward for their response on the matter, the AAG added.

Former finance minister Ishaq Dar was declared fugitive in a case pertaining to assets beyond known sources of income by a Supreme Court bench, which had also ordered National Accountability Bureau to file a corruption reference against him.

The PML-N leader remains in London where he is reportedly undergoing medical treatment for a heart disease.

On the directives of the top court, the PML-N leader has been blacklisted and his passport was blocked.

Recently, Pakistan and the UK reached to an agreement to work towards curbing money-laundering and repatriating the accused and assets stashed away by Pakistanis in the UK.

As per the accord, titled ‘Justice and Accountability’, both the countries have agreed to work towards repatriation of assets as well as accused persons and that the work in this regard will begin after an approval from the respective cabinets.