CJ summons Interior Ministry's officials for cancelling Dar's passport

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday summoned the authorities of Interior Ministry for cancelling former finance minister Ishaq Dar's passport over failure to appear before the Supreme Court. A two member bench headed by the chief justice heard a suo motu case related to former Pakistan Television (PTV) chief Attaullah Haq Qasmi's appointment as managing director (MD) as well as the amount of salary and perks he received both as chairman and MD of the PTV. During the hearing, The chief justice asked the attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) that Where is Ishaq Dar. He warned Ishaq Dar of canceling his passport over persistent absence in the hearing. The chief justice further remarked that Ishaq Dar was consistently disobeying the orders of top court, the court cannot bear this behavior. He said that the summon of court is not like a joke, in every appearance his medical certificate was presented. He remarked that court of contempt can be filed for non appearance of Dar despite summon. “We will mull over issuing red warrants against Dar,” the chief justice further said. “We will do whatever is necessary to ensure Dar returns to the country,” he added. Justice Nisar then summoned Interior Ministry officials to apprise the court of the steps necessary for the former finance minister’s return. During the hearing, Interior secretary informed the court that NAB have to provide some documents, saying that after getting those documents the red warrant will be issued. To reply, Nisar remarked that no one wants to involve in the case of influential peoples. Then the case adjourned for three days. In last hearing of the case on July 5, Justice Nisar had observed that he will announce his decision in the case today and had summoned Dar and the former finance secretary to record their statements. Qasmi, a noted author and playwright, was appointed the chairman of PTV in 2015 but in April 2017, appointed himself the MD as well, sparking controversy. Ishaq Dar, 67, was indicted in October in a graft case in which he is accused of making assets that were “disproportionate to his known sources of income”. The case was filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the light of the Supreme Court order of July 28 that disqualified Nawaz Sharif as prime minister in the Panama Papers scandal.