ISLAMABAD – Supreme Court Tuesday directed all concerned departments todevise strategy for extradition of former finance minister Ishaq Dar withina week.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard thecase pertaining to Dar’s return to the country.
During course of proceedings, Attorney General (AG) apprised the court thatDar’s diplomatic and simple passport had been canceled and he possessed notravel documents.“The interior ministry had also blacklisted him, however ways to extraditeDar are still present,” the AG added.
When the attorney general informed that Dar had no valid travel documents,the chief justice questioned, “Then how will he come back?”Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan added, “We have an extradition treaty with the UnitedKingdom.”To this, the AG responded that there is a system in place through which hecan be brought back, for that we will have to take this matter up in thecourts over there.
The CJP remarked, “You must have the knowledge that Ishaq Dar has beendeclared absconder by National accountability Bureau. Is the state stillunable to bring Ishaq Dar back to Pakistan?”
Meanwhile, NAB prosecutor maintained that the properties of Dar had beenidentified and action was underway to attach them with the case.Subsequently, the bench directed the relevant department to continueefforts and devise procedure within a week for Dar’s extradition. Thehearing of the case was adjourned for one week.
It may added that the former finance minister is accused of possessingassets disproportionate to his declared sources of income and a referenceagainst him have filed by the NAB in light of the Supreme Court’s July 28verdict in the Panama Papers case.