ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court on Wednesday again issued a perpetual arrest warrant for former finance minister Ishaq Dar in the assets beyond means case.
Accountability Court-I judge, Muhammad Bashir, while hearing the corruption case against Dar and others, ruled that there will be no proceedings until Dar was arrested and presented before the court and the decision on the acquittal applications filed by three co-accused including former president National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Saeed Ahmed, Naeem Mehmood and Mansoor Rizvi - two directors of Dar’s companies would be issued only after that.
The court then adjourned the hearing of the reference till the arrest of Dar.
The counsels for three co-accused during the previous hearing held on May 11 requested the court to adjourn the case sine die (adjournment without date) as the prime accused, Dar, is likely to come back to the country and any decision on acquittal applications of the co-accused will affect the case. The court reserved its decision on the defence counsel’s request to adjourn the case sine die for time.
Corruption case against Dar, others: AC requested to adjourn case sine die
Afzal Qureshi, prosecutor National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Investigation Officer (IO) Nadir Abbas, Qazi Misbah counsel for co-accused Syed Mansoor Raza Rizvi and Naeem Mahmood and Ahmad Shujah Butt counsel for co-accused Saeed Ahmad appeared before the court.
The co-accused had filed pleas for their acquittal and challenged the reference under the National Accountability (second amendment) Ordinance 2021.
The defence counsels have been seeking adjournment since April 13 that Dar who is presently in London will return to the country.
The court indicted the three co-accused including former president National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Saeed Ahmed, Naeem Mehmood and Mansoor Rizvi - two directors of Dar’s companies on April 4, 2018. The same court on December 10, 2017, had declared Dar, the main accused as proclaimed offender for continuously remaining absent during court proceedings.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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