ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad Accountability Court on Wednesday rejected a pleafrom Ishaq Dar to not seize his properties. The decision was reserved bythe accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir on February 07.The court rejected the plea to seize the properties of the former financeminister and remarked that the decision was to not allow sale of theproperties rather than the seizure.The judge said that the court order torefrain the former minister from selling out the properties would remainintact. He said that the NAB had not seized he property while the assetswould remain seized.
Earlier, the AC on February 7, had reserved its ruling on Dar’s petitionagainst the freezing of his assets till February 14.
Dar, the former finance minister and close aide of former prime ministerNawaz Sharif, is accused of possessing assets disproportionate to hisdeclared sources of income.
A reference was filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau(NAB) in light of the Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict in the Panama Paperscase.
Dar had been earlier declared a proclaimed offender by the accountabilitycourt due to his continuous absence from the proceedings and his propertyand assets were also ordered to be seized.
Advocate Qazi Misbah appeared on behalf of Dar and requested the court todismiss its order of freezing and seizure of Dar’s assets.
NAB prosecutor Imran Shafique opposed the plea, arguing that the defendantshould have approached the court within 14 days of the order which was notdone.Misbah responded that he received the order late otherwise swiftresponse would have been conducted.
Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir then reserved the verdict andwill announce it on February 14.
The next hearing of the assets reference case will be held on February 8,when two witnesses are expected to appear before the court and record theirstatements.
On Jan 24, the court ordered unfreezing of Dar’s Hajveri Trust bank accounton welfare grounds. On January 10, Dar had petitioned the court statingthat Hajvery Trust is an organisation for orphans, where 93 orphan boys andgirls are being looked after and for their sake, the court must unfreezethe trust’s bank account.