Dar challenges SC order directing NAB to file reference against him

Says SC's order to nominate judge to supervise NAB proceedings is against Articles 175/2, 203 of Constitution

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, on Monday, challenged the top court's July 28 order to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to file a reference against him for possessing assets and funds beyond his known sources of income.

In accordance with the July 28 order, a judge, nominated by the chief justice of Pakistan, is to supervise and monitor the implementation of the judgment, and oversee the proceedings conducted by NAB and the accountability court.

Dar requested the Supreme Court to recall its July 28 order, stating that the court's direction is beyond its mandate as per its April 20 judgment. The finance minister further added that SC's order to nominate a judge to supervise NAB proceedings is against Articles 175/2 and 203 of the Constitution.



Last week, NAB asked the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to provide full bank account details of Dar, his family members and National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) President Saeed Ahmad.

NAB has sought, by August 25, extensive details, such as account statements from inception to date, all debit and credit vouchers, record of closed bank accounts and any other facility granted to the mentioned persons.

These details have been asked for in connection with “investigations against Ishaq Dar for the accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income”, says a NAB letter sent to the SBP on Friday.

The SBP has been requested to contact all banks in the country to gather the required information.



Specifically, details of bank accounts of Dar, his wife Tabassum Ishaq Dar, his sons Ali Mustafa Dar and Mujtaba Husnain Dar and Asma Ali Dar, the wife of Ali Mustafa Dar, have been sought. Banking transactions and related banking record of NBP President Saeed Ahmad has also been asked for.

The Supreme Court had, in its verdict on the Panamagate case, ordered NAB to file four references against former PM Sharif, his family members and others within six weeks before accountability courts in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on the basis of the material collected and referred to by the Joint Investigating Team (JIT).