NAB court unfreezes Hajvery Trust's bank accounts partially

ISLAMABAD - An accountability court on Wednesday ordered to partially reopen the frozen bank accounts of former finance minister Ishaq Dar's welfare organisation, the Hajvery Trust.

Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir resumed the hearing and reserved the judgement after hearing arguments of petitioner's counsel and lawyer of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

On Jan 10, Dar, who is London for medical treatment since October last year following a corruption trial, asked the court to re-open the bank accounts of his charitable organization, handled by Hajvery Trust.

The accounts have been seized by the NAB after he was declared proclaimed offender for not attending the court hearings.

The court said that the bank accounts could only be used for welfare works.

The former finance minister is facing a case regarding possessing assets beyond known sources of income, filed by the NAB in the backdrop of Panamagate verdict.

As the hearing began, Qazi Misbaul Hasan, counsel for Dar asked the court to reopen the accounts as monthly expenses of the orphanage are managed through these accounts.

However, NAB's lawyer said that the accounts were misused by the accused, adding that the bureau did not want to affect the organization.

Hasan asked the judge for more time to peruse NAB's response to his petition. Later, the judge reserved verdict ant adjourned case until Jan 30.

During the hearing of corruption case against Ishaq Dar on Jan 22, the court recorded statements of the prosecution witnesses.