Court Declares Ishaq Dar an Absconder
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was declared an absconder by an accountability court in Islamabad on Tuesday in a corruption reference filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
During an accountability hearing pertaining to Dar, who is accused of amassing assets of an approximate value of Rs831.7 million — disproportionate to his known sources of income ─ NAB's investigating officer Nadir Abbass told the court that a NAB team had visited the minister's residence in Lahore and Islamabad after non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against him.
However, Abbass said, Dar was not found at either one of his residential addresses.
Declaring Dar an absconder, the accountability court said that steps will be taken to declare the the minister a proclaimed offender within ten days.
A show-cause notice was issued to Dar's guarantor, who was asked to submit a reply before the court by November 24 regarding the minister's absence from court.
Earlier, two prosecution witnesses appeared in court to record their statements.
Dar's lawyer today presented a medical report for his client dated Nov 16 in court. The finance minister, who is currently in London, has attempted to excuse himself from appearing in court citing his ill health.
NAB, however, raised objections concerning Dar's medical reports.
NAB Prosecutor Imran Shafiq pointed out discrepancies in two medical reports submitted to the court ─ one earlier and one today ─ saying that the first report claimed Dar was suffering heart disease and that he had a history of the illness, but today's report said that the finance minister is experiencing certain symptoms that are being diagnosed.
The special prosecutor observed that the report does not even adhere completely to British law.
Dar's lawyer hit out at the NAB team, saying that despite the court's earlier orders, the finance minister's report was not verified by the accountability body.
"They're afraid that once the report is verified, they'll run out of things to say," the lawyer claimed.
The special prosecutor informed the court that NAB had already written to the Foreign Office for verification of Dar's medical report.
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