An Islamabad accountability court cancelled on Friday the arrest warrants issued against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar while hearing an assets beyond means reference against him. The minister appeared before the court amidst tight security, pleading for the permanent cancellation of his arrest warrants. “Ishaq Dar is now standing before the court,” argued Dar’s counsel Qazi Misbah. Judge Mohammad Bashir inquired if the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had itself issued arrest warrants against Dar, upon which the NAB investigation officer (IO) Nadir Abbas informed the court that the anti-graft body had, indeed, initially issued the warrants but that they were later suspended. Read NAB submits plea bargaining record to SC “The court had issued the warrants only to ensure Ishaq Dar’s attendance,” explained Misbah. “What is your stance now,” the court inquired, “should the orders be suspended or not?”. On the occasion, the NAB prosecutor also reiterated Misbah’s stance about the purpose of the warrants being to ensure Dar’s attendance in court and supported the cancellation of the warrants. “A supplementary reference has also been made whereby the indictment will have to be done anew,” the judge observed. “We will argue on this, the supplementary reference is not applicable,” said Dar’s lawyer. He also added that the finance minister “has to travel outside of the country for a conference”. The court then granted Dar’s request and cancelled the arrest warrants as it ordered him to submit a bond of Rs1 million. Notices issued to NAB During the proceedings today, Misbah also requested the court to suspend orders regarding the confiscation of the PML-N leader’s properties. Furthermore, the minister also filed a request seeking a permanent leave of absence from the court. Notices were issued to NAB on both applications, seeking a reply from the anti-corruption body at the next hearing scheduled for October 12. Dar, who returned to Pakistan recently after spending almost five years in the UK on a ‘medical leave’, was sworn in as senator and the finance minister amid hue and cry raised by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers. The PML-N leader had left the country in 2017 while standing trial for a corruption reference. It may also be noted that an accountability court had later that year declared Dar a proclaimed offender in a NAB reference after the former finance minister failed to appear before it despite repeated summons. Previously, the court had confirmed freezing of assets, properties, bank accounts and investments of Dar in Pakistan and abroad on NAB’s request except for an account with the Accountant General of Pakistan Revenue (AGPR). Read more Chiniot mines reference returned to NAB While submitting the details of assets and properties – moveable and immovable – of Dar, his family, dependents, NAB had requested the court to endorse its action because “there is serious apprehension that the accused or his dependents may dispose of, alienate, sell, create charge or change the status of the property.” In the earlier application, NAB had listed details of six bank accounts located in Lahore and Islamabad, 13 assets within Pakistan and seven assets/companies abroad. In September 2017, the accountability court had indicted Dar for amassing assets beyond his known sources of income and directed the prosecution to produce witnesses and evidence for establishing its case. Dar had pleaded not guilty and is currently standing trial in the NAB reference filed against him in line with the Supreme Court’s July 2017 judgment in the Panamagate case.
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