Accountability court gives NAB deadline to submit objections in Dar's case

Directs NAB to bring in as many witnesses as they can to next hearing

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad has given the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) a final deadline to submit all objections against former finance minister Ishaq Dar in amassing assets beyond his income reference case.



During the hearing, headed by Justice Muhammad Basheer, NAB's prosecutor Imran Shafiq said that Islamabad High Court (IHC) rejected Dar's initial petition to set aside earlier judgement.

He further said that 10 out of 28 witnesses have recorded their statements before the court.

"This is NAB's last chance to raise reservations in the assets reference case," the judge said.

He also advised NAB to bring in as many witnesses to the next hearing to record their statements. The court adjourned the hearing until January 22.

The hearing for Hajveri Trust case is likely to be held on January 24, the court directed Dar's counsel to submit bank account records on the date of the hearing.

Dar had earlier filed a petition in IHC against the accountability court’s decision. The petition was forwarded to IHC’s division bench, which had ordered the accountability court to halt the investigation.



IHC dismissed the petition filed by Dar on Wednesday, requesting the court to set aside orders of November 11, December 11 and all preceding orders through which the court issued bailable and non-bailable warrants of arrest and later declared him a proclaimed offender within 10 days.

The division bench, comprising of Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, has upheld accountability court’s order to declare him a proclaimed offender. The dismissal has also vacated stay granted earlier.