Dar acquitted in assets beyond means case

NAB prosecutor tells court case cannot be continued due to insufficient evidence

ISLAMBAD:

An accountability court on Monday acquitted former finance minister Ishaq Dar, along with his co-accused, in the reference of assets beyond known sources of income.

Judge Muhammad Bashir heard the reference.

The accountability court said that this reference was being terminated in the light of the National Accountability Bureau’s statement.

NAB Prosecutor Afzal Qureshi, while submitting a written statement on the court order, said that the case could not be continued in the light of insufficient corruption evidence. “NAB has no objection if the court acquits the accused.”
Judge Bashir pronounced the decision of reference regarding assets beyong known sources of income against Dar.

The court issued orders to acquit the former finance minister and his co-accused ex-National Bank of Pakistan President Saeed Ahmed, Mansoor Raza and Muhammad Naeem.

The court said in a brief decision that this case was being terminated in the light of the NAB prosecutor's statement.

NAB Prosecutor Qureshi while submitting a written statement on behalf of NAB Prosecutor General Syed Ehtesham Qadir Shah said: “We had already given a statement that NAB has no objection to the acquittal of Ishaq Dar. There is no evidence in this case so it cannot be continued if the court acquits them … no objection.”

Former finance minister's lawyer Qazi Misbah Advocate said that a charge had been filed in this case. “Here, we are facing two types of situations because the court has written in its previous decision that there is no evidence in this case, so the case is being closed now. If the charge is not proven, Dar should be acquitted.”

Later, the court acquitted the accused in the light of NAB's statement while pronouncing a reserved verdict.
The assets beyond known sources of income case was filed in light of the Supreme Court's decision in 2017.