Bank officials record statements in Ishaq Dar corruption case

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court hearing a corruption case against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar recorded the statements of two prosecution witnesses today. 

During the proceedings, Dar's counsel, Khawaja Harris, had a heated exchange with the prosecutor of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). 

Both witnesses, officials of two private banks, recorded their statements and were cross-examined by Harris. 

Moreover, at the next hearing, the court has sought Dar's reply on NAB's request for it to order seizure of Dar's assets in accordance with the NAB chairman's directions. 

The hearing was then adjourned until October 31. 

As the court resumed proceedings today in the assets reference case against Dar, the finance minister made his seventh appearance before Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir.

The minister was accompanied by CADD Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and other party leaders. 

As the hearing began, Abdul Rehman Gondal recorded his statement after which he was cross-examined by Harris. 

Gondal also submitted details of an account owned by Dar inside the Parliament House. 

Gondal informed the court that he first appeared before the NAB's investigation officer on August 17 this year. 

During the cross-examination, a heated war of words ensued between Harris and NAB prosecutor Imran Shafiq, with the former taunting the latter for reportedly influencing the witness. 

Later, NAB submitted a request pleading the judge to endorse the NAB chairman's decision to seize Dar's assets. 

The court sought an answer from Dar on NAB's request at the next hearing. 

Following the cross-examination, the second witness, Masood Ghani, began recording his statement. He was later cross-examined by Harris. 

The hearing was then adjourned until next Monday, October 31, when the cross-examination is expected to continue. 

Last hearing

At the last hearing, the court had adjourned proceedings until Monday (today) owing to the absence of Harris, Dar's lead counsel.

Dar's legal team pleaded the judge to adjourn the hearing until October 25 saying Harris is out of the country but Judge Mohammad Bashir adjourned the proceedings until today directing him to be present in court.

The court is expected to record the statements of two more prosecution witnesses today — Ghani of Habib Bank and Gondal of Allied Bank. The two were present in court at the last hearing as well but their statements could not be recorded.

To-date, the court has recorded the statements of Ishtiaq Ali of Bank Alfalah, Shahid Aziz National Investment Trust and Tariq Javed of Al Baraka Bank.

The minister is accused of possessing assets beyond his declared sources of income in the reference filed against him by NAB on the directions of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case judgment.

'Appearance is must'

At an earlier hearing on October 16, the court rejected Dar's plea to be exempted from appearance, observing that the accused needs to be present when the witnesses record their statements and are cross-examined.

The NAB has submitted a list of 28 witnesses with the accountability court, which is hearing the Supreme Court-directed case against Dar and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.

Dar — who was indicted on September 27 for owning assets beyond his known sources of income — has denied all charges and vowed to prove his innocence in court.

The minister also challenged his indictment and trial in the Islamabad High Court but the pleas were dismissed with directions to take them to Justice Ijazul Ahsan — the Supreme Court judge monitoring the corruption references.

The reference

The reference pertaining to Dar's owning assets disproportionate to his known sources of income was filed by the NAB in light of the Supreme Court's July 28 judgment in the Panama Papers case.

In the reference, NAB has stated that Dar “acquired assets and pecuniary interests/resources in his own name and/or in the name of his dependents of an approximate amount of Rs831.678 million (approx) as per investigation conducted so far”.

Moreover, the NAB says Dar’s assets are “disproportionate to his known sources of income for which he could not reasonably account for”. 

However, the bureau is yet to determine the role of National Bank of Pakistan President Saeed Ahmed and others over their involvement in “aiding and abetting” the minister in making a 91-fold increase in his assets.

So far, NAB has only filed an ‘interim reference’ against Dar, as it says it is gathering details of the minister's foreign assets, which would be included in a final reference.

After skipping his first hearing — for which a summons had been issued —Dar appeared in court later after bailable warrants for his arrest were been issued to ensure his presence.

The judge then directed Dar to deposit a Rs5 million surety bond to ensure his appearance at the hearings.