Ishaq Dar appears before accountability court
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has on Wednesday appeared before the accountability court (AC) in case related to having assets beyond his sources of income.
The AC judge Mohammad Bashir resumed hearing of the reference against the finance minister.
During the proceedings, two witnesses Tariq Javed and Ishtiaq Ali are also present in the court.
Ishtiaq Ali and Tariq Javed recorded their statements and they were also cross-examined by the defense lawyer Khawaja Harris.
Later, the court adjourned the hearing till October 12, when two more witnesses will be called to give evidence.
Talking to media outside the court, minister of state for technology Anusha Rehman said the defense has not been provided the copy of charge-sheet and the trial started already.
“The court is taking all decisions in haste and we are not being given enough time to prepare and defend the case,” she said.
Earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) rejected a petition by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar against his indictment by anti-corruption court in the Panama Papers scandal.
Dar, 67, had challenged his indictment for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.
Khawaja Harris, counsel of Dar asked the court that the indictment by the Accountability Court was against the law as it failed to give enough time to the defense lawyer to prepare the case.
The finance minister also requested the high court to order the anti-corruption court to suspend the trial until a decision on his petition, as he should be given time to file his response in the case.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a reference against Ishaq Dar for having assets beyond his sources of income. A 91 percent increase was observed in his assets in a short period of time.
Dar and his family possess assets worth Rs 839 billion, the reference said.
The apex court had earlier disqualified Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister and ordered corruption cases against him, his children Maryam, Husain and Hasan and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar.
