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An accountability court in Islamabad on Tuesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in response to his prolonged absence from court.
The court had been in session for the proceedings of a corruption reference against Dar, who is accused of amassing assets of an approximate value of Rs831.7 million; disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The court also dismissed once again Dar's petition for exemption from accountability hearings.
The hearing had been delayed as NAB’s investigating officer was unable to reach the accountability court on time. The NAB prosecutor had told the court that the officer was travelling from Lahore to Islamabad for the hearing and had gotten delayed due to smog.
The case will now be heard on November 21.
During earlier proceedings, the accountability court judge, Mohammad Bashir, had asked Ahmed Ali Quddusi ─ who appeared in court on Dar's behalf as a pleader ─ when the finance minister may be expected to appear in court.
In response, Quddusi had said that, according to a November 6 report from a private hospital in London, Dar's recovery is expected to take another six or eight weeks.
Dar's absence was first attributed to ill health on Oct 30, when the finance minister failed to appear before the court for a hearing. His counsel, Khawaja Harris, had subsequently informed the judges that the finance minister had been admitted to a private hospital in London.
'Assets beyond known income'
On July 28, a five-member Supreme Court bench had ordered NAB to file three references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and one against Dar, on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Imran Khan, Jamaat-i-Islami’s Sirajul Haq and Awami Muslim League’s Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.
In its reference against the finance minister, NAB has alleged that “the accused has acquired assets and pecuniary interests/resources in his own name and/or in the name of his dependents of an approximate amount of Rs831.678 million (approx)”.
The reference alleged that the assets were “disproportionate to his known sources of income for which he could not reasonably account for”.
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Comments (69) Closed
Nov 14, 2017 02:22pm
Plz put his name on ECL first.
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Nov 14, 2017 02:22pm
As per Dar’s defence team Dar’s recovery may take 8 weeks. Who is looking after the Finance Ministry in Dar’s absence?
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Nov 14, 2017 02:28pm
Excellent decision by the accountability court in Islamabad-Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Keep it up and hang on tough.
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Nov 14, 2017 02:28pm
Why are these politicians allowed to mock the law enforcement institutions, he should be dealt with firmly regardless of his health.
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Nov 14, 2017 02:29pm
Someone being sick does not get excluded from accountability, he should be arrested, made to account for his actions immediately.
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Nov 14, 2017 02:29pm
Hafeez saeed is outside, Nawaz and Dar are going to be inside, Pakistan is truly different from any other nation on earth.
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Nov 14, 2017 02:30pm
There are three things in the world that deserve no mercy, hypocrisy, fraud and tyranny... Frederick William Robertson
Mr. Ishaq Dar had better surrender to the law with his eyes down rather than being brought back in handcuffs. Salams
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Nov 14, 2017 02:33pm
This is a "Fianace Minister" of a nucleararmed state!What about others ?
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Nov 14, 2017 02:49pm
First of all the court and parliament must ensure that Ishaq Dar may not continue as Pakistan's finance minister with all inherent power and the pomp that go with the position. This paradox, of a suspected thief is in charge of our national wealth and financial strength, makes our sense of propriety contradictory and us stupid.
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Nov 14, 2017 02:50pm
I wonder less and ponder more as to how and why an honorable person accepts to be called as dishonorable person. To me a telephone call from police or police visiting my house is not short of my death to be honest but my top leaders do not feel ashamed even when arrest warrants are issued. In 1966 sizzling summer when I was MA student & my BA class fellow Imdad clad in ASI uniform came to my house on motorcycle. He gave bell which my father attended and was shocked to see police asking for me. My father lied and said I will check if he is inside and tells you. He said to my mother ‘mubarak ho aai Iqbal k ley police ai hay’. My parents and siblings almost in tears rushed to the window from where they could see me and Imdad. I told him that all are in tears to see you in police uniform as none have ever come alike to our house. He said I came sweating just to impress and please you but you are afraid instead. Alas! In my beloved Pakistan jail has become such a qualification for our leaders that they are in cut throat competition. I need not name but the fact remains that our VVIPs and VIPs have been behind the bars and still they feel proud of themselves and we keep on voting for them but’shara mager tumko nahi aati’ Iqbal Hadi Zaidi/Kuwait/zaidi.formerdiplomat@hotmail.com.
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Nov 14, 2017 03:01pm
Angiogram and Angioplsty are procedures which are done in a day and the patient is kept in the hospital only for few hours. Why Mr. Dar requires so many weeks to recover? I feel they are just buying time. I wonder why such procedures couldn't have been done in Pakistan?
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Nov 14, 2017 03:02pm
Every thing in Pakistan is on loan today just because of Mr Dar. Hope a better FM can stop this loan game in the name of game changer.
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Nov 14, 2017 03:15pm
He is practically not working, he is wanted by courts.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Finance Minister of Pakistan Mr. Ishaq Dar!
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Nov 14, 2017 03:26pm
where is he?
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Nov 14, 2017 03:29pm
What goes around comes back around-- and bites you in the back. About time these self confessed sacrosanct people are brought into the circle of accountability. Some ray of hope for Pakistan... :)
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Nov 14, 2017 03:34pm
Why he was allowed to leave the country? Why their names are not on ECL? This remains a mystery.
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Nov 14, 2017 03:41pm
I ve started loving Pakistan Judicial system. Well deserved Dar
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Nov 14, 2017 03:41pm
Issue red warrant through interpol and nab this corrupt person. He is clearly toying with the law of the land.
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Nov 14, 2017 03:45pm
Happens only in Pakistan
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Nov 14, 2017 03:46pm
and he is still A Finance Minster.
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Nov 14, 2017 03:47pm
Depending on the gravity of the case, the government must introduce and implement a law to place persons under investigation in high profile, political or national level cases on the Exit Control List and restrict their movement. Administering justice must be the top priority and a wake up call for all other such people who believe they can get away with anything after having abusing their power to effect the economy of our beloved nation.
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Nov 14, 2017 04:44pm
He is never coming back. They can issue all the warrants they want, nothing is going to happen. Next to go will be Nawaz Sharif unless his name is put on Exit Control List
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Nov 14, 2017 05:03pm
Delaying tactics and nothing else. Even the guy on the street understands it. I believe this time around the accused have very limited options other than that he manages to stay for good in UK and hope that an NRO works out by his party in the time to come to provide him an opening to come back. As the events related to accountability court under the supervision of a SC judge are moving and that too at a very fast pace, there is no space left for any deal to be made in near future. The D-Day of proceedings in his case is likely to be before the March, 2018 senate elections.
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Nov 14, 2017 05:50pm
At last the law gets it right. I think that it is the last we see of Dar.
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Nov 14, 2017 06:04pm
How is a hospital in London issues certificates like this and accepted by the court?
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Nov 14, 2017 06:26pm
Secretary Finance Division would be the happiest man to see his boss after such a long time...but who will bell the cat
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Nov 14, 2017 06:52pm
If this guy has any dignity or integrty, he should tender his resignation until he's able to clear his name in a court of law. A federal Minister behind bar, should be disqualified from holding the portfolio.
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Nov 14, 2017 07:00pm
well done
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Nov 14, 2017 07:29pm
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar must be arrested and brought before the court. He was involved in massive corruption and has been evading accountability. He is guilty of contempt of court orders. He has also refused to resign, even though he has not worked for over a year. He has led the country to serious economic crisis.
The medical drama in London must end. If he is really sick he must resign and be treated in the country, instead of wasting tax payers money overseas. Enough is enough. We demand accountability of all politicians who have abused their office to loot and plunder the country. No politician can be above the law.
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Nov 14, 2017 07:42pm
Will Dar still prolong absence, will benefit him anymore is yet to be seen.
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Nov 14, 2017 07:45pm
No, DAR is healthy and in sound physical conditions. This was his way getting out of investigation and trials. For us in Pakistan now we should know that how and why these current governments politicians run to England to escape our law.
All politicians who have courts trials pending must be PUT ON ECL.
Accountability and eradication of corruption means to punish the doers and recover stolen national money and assets.
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Nov 14, 2017 07:45pm
Hi Dar, nice try and we are watching you. It’s the most stupid decision for you to go to London because you prefer UK hospital over your home country. Here is a tip, you will be dismissed for not appearing the court if you are in Pakistan at hospital and they would know if it’s you are real sick, otherwise, you will get sins for lying.
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Nov 14, 2017 07:46pm
His name should have been put in the ECL long time ago . Now , arresting him will be a difficult task .
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Nov 14, 2017 07:50pm
Now there is no justification to keep him as Finance Minister of Pakistan. Prime Minister Abbasi should fire him.
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Nov 14, 2017 08:11pm
Well that's it then he won't be coming back from London anytime soon and we are so weak with our efforts that we could not take his passport away.
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Nov 14, 2017 08:13pm
Non bailable warrant yet he still remains in office. These people have no respect for the law.
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Nov 14, 2017 08:31pm
throw him in jail
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Nov 14, 2017 08:43pm
I don't think Dar will ever come back to face these charges.
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Nov 14, 2017 08:48pm
Topi Dramay.
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Nov 14, 2017 09:35pm
@Ravi ; Bribes and cash money has a loud voice and it works every time;
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Nov 14, 2017 10:06pm
@ME The finance ministry will probably do better unsupervised in his absence
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Nov 14, 2017 10:07pm
Yeah as if he's coming back
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Nov 14, 2017 10:09pm
Mr.Isaq Dar is so shocked that his name could be so maligned that he is bedridden and unable to move for about six to eight weeks by which time, he hopes, the hulaballoo would be over and people will forget all about it. Then he can safely come back and start looting again.
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Nov 14, 2017 10:11pm
Isn't it surprising that as soon as a summon from the court is issued; the politician summoned has a heart issue or some undiagnosable ailment that puts him/her in the ICU for an indefinite period.
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Nov 14, 2017 10:28pm
London is the save heaven for crooks from Pakistan. The British government should take stern action against these Pakistani crooks.
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Nov 14, 2017 10:57pm
Non bailable warrant issued against Dar - they all conveniently develop cardiac malfunction and try to stay away from the country as long as they can. By the way he is still absentee finance minister and present PM Abbasi and his cabinet are going along.
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Nov 14, 2017 11:07pm
PM Abbasi is still keeping him in the cabinet as Finance minister!!! Doesn't it prove that they all are in it together?
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Nov 14, 2017 11:12pm
The government should have and must now fire him from his job as the finance minister. It seems that the gentleman is not coming back to Pakistan so the conviction will have to be determined is his absence to be followed by court orders for the confiscation of his worldwide wealth in favor of the national treasury.
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Nov 14, 2017 11:15pm
Shame shame, genarel, prime minister, finance minuster all goes jail , what kind of moral values is there ?
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Nov 14, 2017 11:26pm
@Senman - Should the corrupts be let out?
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Nov 14, 2017 11:49pm
Still he refuses to resign. The learned court should order him to resign until final decision of his corruption cases is reached.
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Nov 14, 2017 11:58pm
and such are our MINISTERs.. tarnishing Pak image like crazy ... he really should resign and be back IF and WHEN his name gets cleared!
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Nov 14, 2017 11:58pm
Once caught and brought to Pakistan, he must not be allowed to go off the hook without facing all legal formalities. This yard stick should be applied on culprits who have looted Pakistan.
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Nov 15, 2017 01:03am
Was he lining his own pockets?
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Nov 15, 2017 01:06am
We deserve leaders like this. No complaints to anyone....
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Nov 15, 2017 01:16am
Dar, it's time to leave your office and sleep in the tent.
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Nov 15, 2017 01:48am
Justice in Pakistan taking the right course for a change. I could not be happier. Let these judgements serve as a warning to all others. We want a progressive and corruption free country for our children. Bravo accountability court & Supreme court.
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Nov 15, 2017 02:02am
Why all politicians get heart problems when they get caught for wrong doing
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Nov 15, 2017 02:22am
Mr. Dar will be too optimistic if he comes back
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Nov 15, 2017 02:29am
@Philosopher (from Japan) He is beyond ECL as he has been out of country for last several weeks.
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Nov 15, 2017 03:11am
and then nothing happened as usual.
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Nov 15, 2017 03:54am
Corrupts are now cornered and rightly so
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Nov 15, 2017 03:59am
How about Musharraf? If Dar's parents had sent him to Military instead of making him doing Chartered Accountancy he would have been dancing in Dubai's clubs
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Nov 15, 2017 04:02am
Pakistan Judiciary and deep state are doing great job. Congratulations!!!
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Nov 15, 2017 06:31am
We let our terrorists kill and politicians plunder. Well played
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Nov 15, 2017 06:56am
DAR is not coming back to Pakistan. In his absence Hudabia case cannot move forward. We need to press England for his arrest and return to Pakistan as he is a citizen of Pakistan.
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Nov 16, 2017 12:24am
I have the Best Solution. Put a REVERSE ECL (Exit Control List) on Dar. DO NOT LET HIM ENTER PAKISTAN. You then don't have to go through the masquerade of a trial, spend a lot of money when you already know that he is NOT going to jail and at most he will be exiled. So, Just keep him out.
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Nov 16, 2017 01:11am
I had angiography few years back and I will able to get back to work in 7 days. Dar looks much more healthy then me. So this is all DRAMA. This guys not only should be on ECL, he should be arrested and send to jail while the hearing is on. He should come to court in an black and white strip suit with slippers. He should be hand cuffed while attending hearing. He should not have any contact with his accomplice's specially NS and SS. I will predict and history will verify some time later that Dar will all time biggest money launderer.
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Nov 16, 2017 08:03am
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, Instead of bravos, why don't you give us your view on Dar's claims, is he being truthful or pulling our legs about having to remain admitted in the hospital over angioplasty and angiography.
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