Assets beyond means case: Dar challenges non-bailable arrest warrant in IHC

ISLAMABAD (NNI): Finance minister Ishaq Dar has approached Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday after an accountability court declared him a fugitive and non-bailable arrest warrant was issued in an assets beyond means case against him earlier.

Reportedly, the federal minister who was granted a medical leave for a period of three months by Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi last month, has petitioned the high court for absence immunity in accountability court’s hearings and to continue the trial with his representative’s presence on his behalf.

The petition lodged today by Advocate Saad Hashmi states that Dar is receiving treatment for an ailment in a London hospital and cannot attend hearings of the accountability court. The finance minister used to regularly appear for court’s hearings before he fell sick, the plea reads.

The federal minister has sought the high court to annul the non-bailable arrest warrant and order for continuation of the trial with Dar’s representative in presence at hearings.

The federal minister was lodged cases against by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) earlier this year on order of the apex court in infamous Panama Papers trial that led to ousting of Pakistan’s premier Nawaz Sharif on July 28, 2017.

The top court had ordered the accountability department to pursue corruption references against Nawaz Sharif, his children, son-in law and finance minister Ishaq Dar.

The federal minister shifted to London owing to an alleged ailment last month and wrote to the Prime Minister for a medical leave which was granted by the premier who was sworn in early August, days after Nawaz Sharif was disqualified in corruption case in light of Panama Leaks.