Accountability court declares Ishaq Dar proclaimed offender

ISLAMABAD: The accountability court hearing a corruption reference against former finance minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Monday declared him a proclaimed offender due to his continued absence from the proceedings. 

Dar, who remains a federal minister but has been in London for over a month due to medical treatment, is accused by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. 

The court also ordered Dar's bail guarantor Ahmad Qudoosi to produce the suspect within three days, warning seizure of his Rs5m surety bond if he fails to do so. 

As the hearing began, Dar's counsel submitted his client's fresh medical report in court and pleaded for delaying his declaration as a proclaimed offender.  

However, NAB special prosecutor Imran Shafique opposed the plea.

Judge Mohammad Bashir then reserved the order. 

Announcing his decision, the judge declared Dar a proclaimed offender and ordered his bail guarantor to ensure his presence in court within three days or lose the surety bond of Rs5 million. 

Also during the hearing, Qazi Misbah, a former deputy prosecutor general of NAB, appeared on behalf of Dar and requested the judge to be allowed to plead Dar's case. However, the judge dismissed the request as Misbah is not a counsel in the case. 

The case was filed by NAB in light of the Supreme Court's July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case, 

Dar is accused of owning assets that are disproportionate to his declared sources of income. He has skipped the last six hearings of the case owing to his medical treatment in London.

The court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Dar on November 14 and declared him an absconder on November 21.

Later, after a period of 10 days (instead of the usual 30), the court initiated the process of declaring Dar a proclaimed offender.

At the last hearing on December 4, the court had reserved its decision on formally declaring Dar a proclaimed offender.

During the last proceedings, Dar’s counsel Qusain Faisal Mufti submitted his client's medical report. He also objected to the 'hasty' order of the court in reducing the notice period from 30 days to 10. 

IHC seeks NAB's reply on Dar's plea to quash arrest warrants, curtail proclamation period  

On December 2, Mufti filed a petition in Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging the arrest warrants against Dar.

Dar had also challenged the court’s invocation of Section 17-C of the National Accountability Ordinance to curtail the mandatory 30-day period of the proclamation process to 10 days, on the pretext of the Supreme Court's six-month deadline to wrap up the proceedings.

Taking up the case, the IHC issued notices to NAB and sought a reply in one week. 

Moreover, the court dismissed Dar's request to be exempted from appearance in the accountability court. 

The bench, comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb, ordered Dar's counsel to give a proper timeframe for his client's return. 

Earlier, the counsel had informed the court that Dar would return to the country in 10-15 days, and added that it would depend on the permission of his doctors. 

The hearing was adjourned until December 20. 

Dar relieved of finance ministry duties

On November 23, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi accepted Dar’s request to be relieved of his duties, reported Geo News.

Dar was relieved of his three roles, including his portfolio in the finance ministry, and was informed of the decision.

Sources had said Dar would remain a federal minister as a leave of absence of three months has been granted to him.