Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Wednesday issued bailable arrest warrants against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar after he failed to appear before it in compliance with a summons issued to him earlier.

When judge Muhammad Bashir took up the corruption reference, Dar’s Protocol Officer Fazal Dad apprised the court that the minister could not appear as he was in London due to his personal engagements. To a court query, he said he was unaware about the date of return of the minister.

Appearing on notice, NAB’s Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar pleaded the court to issue arrest warrants of the accused to ensure his appearance. He said Dar’s summons was received by his driver.

Accepting the NAB’s plea, the court issued bailable arrest warrants against Dar and directed the authorities concerned to arrest and produce the accused on September 25. The court directed to furnish a bail bond of Rs 1 million. It also directed to nominate someone who would serve as a bail bondsperson.

The court also warned that non-bailable arrest warrants against the accused will be issued if he failed to appear on September 25.

According to NAB’s spokesman Nawazish Ali, NAB’s Lahore Region on Wednesday directed the State Bank of Pakistan and all other banks of the country to freeze the accounts of Ishaq Dar. In its letter, NAB also instructed the banks to inform it immediately after taking the prescribed action.

Published in Daily Times, September 21^st 2017.