Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Tuesday declared Finance Minister Ishaq Dar an absconder due to his continuous absence from the hearing of a graft reference filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The court also directed NAB to initiate legal process to declare the accused Ishaq Dar a proclaimed offender within 10 days.

When judge Muhammad Bashir resumed the hearing on Tuesday, Dar’s counsel Qusain Faisal Mufti presented a medical report dated November 16 about the health of his client. He stated that Dar was undergoing cardiac treatment in a medical facility in London, and requested the court to grant his client exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds.

He also requested the court to allow his client to appoint a pleader (legal representative) on his behalf, so that the proceedings might continue smoothly in his absence. The court, however, rejected both requests.

According to the medical report, Dar’s arteries were not functioning properly and a medical examination was underway. Another checkup will take place on November 29. NAB prosecutor Imran Shafiq, however, raised objections over the medical report, contending that the report did not match a medical report submitted earlier.

He stated that according to the previous report, Dar was suffering from a cardiac disease, whereas according to the current report, his disease was being still diagnosed.

Dar’s counsel, however, rejected the objection of NAB’s prosecutor over the medical report, stating that despite the court’s clear order on previous hearings, the medical report had not been verified by the bureau. He contended that NAB had deliberately not bothered to verify the report.

The NAB prosecutor, however, stated that the report had already been sent to the Foreign Office for its verification and the outcome was awaited.

During the hearing, NAB’s investigating officer Nadir Abbas informed the court that a team of the bureau’s investigators had visited the residence of Ishaq Dar in Lahore and Islamabad after non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against him. However, he was not found.

“Whereas, he is now in London, where he is undergoing cardiac treatment,” he said, adding that the treatment was to avoid the court proceedings. He requested the court to declare the accused an absconder. The court accepted the request. The court also issued a show-cause notice to Dar’s bail guarantor Ahmad Ali Qudoosi, directing him to submit a written reply till November 24 over why surety bonds of Rs 5 million furnished by him should not be confiscated.

Meanwhile, NAB also presented two of its prosecution witnesses before the court to record their statements against Dar. Later, the court adjourned the hearing till December 4. It was Dar’s fourth absence from the trial. Dar is accused of possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.

Published in Daily Times, November 22^nd 2017.