Supreme Court suspends Ishaq Dar's senatorship on interim basis

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court suspended on Tuesday former finance minister Ishaq Dar’s senatorship on a temporary basis.

Hearing a case against the acceptance of Dar's nomination papers in the recent Senate elections, the chief justice questioned why Dar did not show up in court despite being summoned at the last hearing.

Submitting a medical certificate, Dar's counsel informed the court that his client is unwell and will appear once he is able enough

The chief justice rejected the certificate and remarked that Dar will have to appear in court one day. 

Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked during the hearing that the former minister seems healthy when he appears on TV but submits medical reports to the court stating his inability to return to the country. 

The hearing was then adjourned until after Eidul Fitr.  

A petition, moved by Pakistan Peoples Party's Nawazish Pirzada, had requested the apex court to suspend the Lahore High Court judgment allowing Dar to contest the March 3 Senate elections. 

On February 17, an appellate election tribunal of the LHC had granted Dar permission to contest Senate elections, setting aside an order of the returning officer who had rejected his nomination papers.

He was successfully elected to the Senate from Punjab but is yet to be administered oath. 

Dar has been out of the country since October last year on account of his medical treatment. He has since been declared a proclaimed offender in the corruption case filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau.