Ishaq Dar. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday that the process to extradite former finance minister Ishaq Dar had begun.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar resumed hearing of a case pertaining to illegal appointment of former Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) managing director Attaul Haq Qasmi. The bench, also comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Faisal Arbab, sought an update on the extradition of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former finance minister Ishaq Dar.
Justice Nisar questioned the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s failure to repatriate the former minister. To which, NAB counsel Jahanzeb Bharwana said extradition was in the process while Dar’s properties had been sealed.
Government issues red warrant to bring Ishaq Dar back
Justice Ahsan remarked that it had been two months since the assets were confiscated. Bharwana said the bureau had replied to British government’s letter in the matter and was awaiting its response.
It is pertinent to note that an accountability court had ordered authorities to auction Dar’s movable and immovable assets and seize his bank accounts as he has not only failed to appear before the court but over six months have passed since the court attached his assets.
The court issued the order in October 2018 on an application of the anti-graft watchdog seeking the sale of Dar’s assets and asking the court to appoint a ‘receiver’ who would collect and deposit the amount in the state treasury.
The judgment came in a corruption reference filed in the wake of the apex court July 28, 2017 order, for Dar’s allegedly having assets beyond known sources of income.
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