ISLAMABAD – An accountability court on Friday cancelled the arrest warrants of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the assets beyond means case filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir issued the order. The court also directed the minister to submit surety bonds of Rs1 million.
At the outset of the hearing, Qazi Misbah, lawyer of Dar, asked the court to permanently cancel his client’s arrest warrant and the order to confiscate his assets.
The lawyer told the court that it had issued the arrest warrants so Dar appears before the court, adding that they should be cancelled now as the minister is present before the court.
“Did NAB also issue arrest warrants of Ishaq Dar,” Judge Bashir asked the anti-corruption watchdog’s prosecutor.
Anti-graft’s body responded in the affirmative but clarified that the warrants were suspended.
“What is your point of view now, should the warrants be cancelled or not?” asked the judge.
At this question, the NAB prosecutor supported the cancellation of warrants, adding that they were issued to ensure Dar’s appearance in the case.
Before adjourning the case till October 12, the court issued notices to NAB over the application filed against the confiscation of Dar’s property and permanent exemption from attendance.
Last week, the court had suspended the arrest warrants of Dar till October 7.
