Dar's assets, properties frozen, NAB tells court

National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has frozen assets and properties, both moveable and immoveable, of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, his family members, dependents and benamidars in a reference filed against him pertaining to accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income.
NAB Special Prosecutor Imran Shafiq submitted a report regarding freezing the assets of Dar before the Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir during the hearing of the reference against Dar. The NAB also requested the court to corroborate the decision regarding freezing the assets of Dar and the court issued a notice to the accused finance minister for hearing of the matter.
According to NAB officials, NAB Chairman former Justice Javed Iqbal had earlier issued an order to freeze properties and assets of Dar. Under the law, the NAB chairman is fully authorized to issue such orders but it is mandatory for NAB to file application in the light of the order of its chairman in the court for implementation on it.
The application has been field by the NAB prosecutor under section 12 of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAB) 1999 for confirmation of freezing orders passed by the competent authority regarding the property of Ishaq Dar.
It says the reference for commission of offence, as defined under section 9(a) of the NAO 1999, for owning possessing and acquiring assets and properties duly mentioned in the reference in the name of the accused Ishaq Dar and or his dependants, benamidars disproportionate to his known sources of income, for which he could not reasonably account for, is pending adjudication before court in which charge has been framed.
The assets and properties, both moveable and immoveable, of accused Dar are given below. They include six banks accounts ie Hajveri Holding (Pvt) Ltd (account title) in Al Baraka Bank Pakistan, account No. 0136000000397; Hajveri Holding (Pvt) Ltd (account title) in Al Baraka Bank Pakistan Ltd, account No., 0136750000051; Muhammad Ishaq Dar (account title) in Allied Bank Limited, new account No. 0010040798360011 while old account number 0120013420; Hajveri Holdings (Pvt) Ltd (account title) in Bank Alfalah limited, account no. 00281003564734; Muhammad Ishaq Dar (account title) in Bank Alfalah limited, account no. 00281003560890; and Muhammad Ishaq Dar (account title) in Habib Bank Limited, account no. 12357900024403.
The description and name of owners of Dar's seven immoveable properties mentioned in application include: 1) House no. 7, Block H, Gulberg, Lahore, owner name Muhammad Ishaq Dar; 2) a plot at Mauza Bhaudden (2 kanal & 19 marla) and the owner name is Tabassum Ishaq Dar; 3) a plot at Alfhlah Housing Society, Lahore, and owners include Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Tabassum Ishaq Dar and Ali Mustafa Dar; 4) six acres of land at Mauza Milot, Islamabad and owners are Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Tabassum Dar; 5) two kanals of land plot at Parliamentarian Enclave, Islamabad and the owner's name is Muhammad Ishaq Dar; 6) two kanals of plot with Ayaz Builders (Pvt) Ltd and owner's name is Muhammad Ishaq Dar; and 7) a plot at Senate Cooperative Housing Society, Islamabad, and owner's name is Muhammad Ishaq Dar.
The other moveable properties of Dar include: 1) Land Cruiser (LEZ-19), model 2004, the owner's name is Tabassum Ishaq Dar; 2) Land Cruiser (LXX-9), model 1999, owner's name is Muhammad Ishaq Dar; 3) Toyota Corolla (LRS-9700), model 2004, the owner's name is Muhammad Ishaq Dar; 4) Mercedes Benz E-300, model 1998, registration number SLBW-9047, the owner's name is Muhammad Ishaq Dar; 5) Mercedes Benz S-350, (LMW-19), model 2008, the owner's name is Muhammad Ishaq Dar; and 6) Land Cruiser, (AY-19), model 2014, the owner's name is Muhammad Ishaq Dar.
As per the application, Dar owns shares in two companies within Pakistan including 3,453,060 shares in Hajveri Holdings (Pvt) Ltd in the name of Ishaq Dar and Tabassum Ishaq Dar and 2,700 shares in Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Ltd by Dar alone.
Finance Minister Dar's assets and companies abroad include: 1) flat no. E-144, Hajveri Villa, Emirates Hill, Dubai, the UAE; 2) apartment no. 3204, Palm Jummairah, Dubai, UAE; 3) Bentley Amage 2003 (F-6373); 4) Mercedes S-350 2006, (F-2638); 5) shares/investment in Baraq Holdings (Pvt) Ltd; and 6) shares/investment in Dar Al Nahayan (Pvt) Ltd.
The application further said that there is a serious apprehension that the accused or his dependents or benamidars may dispose of, alienate, sell, create charge or change the status of the property. From the record of the case, statements of the prosecution witnesses, incriminating material and the documentary evidences, there exist reasonable grounds to believe that the accused is guilty of the offences for which he has been charged by the court, it further said.
The NAB on Monday produced two more witnesses - Masood Ghani, Manager Operation of Habib Bank, and Abdul Rahman Gondal of Allied Bank. The judge recorded the statements of two prosecution witnesses in the presence of Dar, who were later cross-examined by Dar's counsel Khawaja Harris.
Gondal, the prosecution witness, testified before the court that he first appeared before the NAB investigators in August 2017 and provided all requisitioned record of bank account no. 0120013420 (old) and 0010040798360011 (new). The record he provided included covering letters, specimen signature card (SSC), account opening form, ATM application form, account statement and transaction details from March 25, 2005 to July 31, 2017.
Dar's counsel questioned the witness whether the documents produced by him are prepared and executed by him. To this, the witness said that the record produced by him in court had not been produced by him.
Harris further asked the prosecution witness if the investigators had asked him to submit the original specimen signature card. Replying to the question of Dar's counsel, Gondal said that he had left behind original specimen signature card in the bank on the day he appeared before the investigation officer, he said, adding that the investigation officer told him to produce the original specimen signature card in the court.
During the cross-examination, harsh words were exchanged between Harris and NAB prosecutor Imran Shafiq. While taunting NAB prosecutor, Harris said when the witnesses are wise and experienced persons then why the NAB prosecutor is interfering again and again.
To this, the NAB prosecutor replied, "Do not attack me personally and I do not expect such personal attacks from a senior lawyer."
Harris asked the NAB prosecutor not to try to influence the witnesses. To this, the NAB prosecutor told Harris that the witness is recording his statement before the court and he cannot influence him.
The NAB prosecutor accused Harris of creating a hostile atmosphere, while Dar's counsel suggested the prosecutor to go and talk to media persons if he was desirous to appear in the headlines.
During hearing, Khawaja Harris pointed out that the verified copies of bank documents presented by Gondal are different from the original ones submitted to the NAB. The court then asked the witness to appear on the next hearing with original documents.
Another prosecution witness, Masood Ghani, Manager Operation of Habib Bank, also testified before the court and Dar's counsel later cross-examined him.
Ghani said that he provided details and all relevant record of Dar's account no. 12357900024403 to the NAB investigators. The record he provided to the NAB included a specimen signature card, account opening form, bank statement, transaction details and account statements.
The court also asked Ghani to appear before the court on the next hearing with more documents and adjourned the hearing till October 30.
The court also issued summons for two more prosecution witnesses - Faisal Shahzad and Muhammad Azeem - to testify before the court.