RIYADH – Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has not returned to the country Saturday after completing his tour to Dushanbe, Tajikistan to attend 16th Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Ministerial Meeting.
The PML-N minister, who is facing embezzlement and money laundering charges, had flown to the Central Asian state aboard a special plane from Islamabad with three other people. However, the plane returned Saturday without Dar.
Later in the day, a picture of Mr. Dar performing Umrah emerged on social media, sparking speculations that he (Dar) has joined ex-PM Nawaz Sharif in Saudi Arabia and is not intended to make an immediate return fearing arrest.
According to Foreign Ministry’s Director General (Media), Saeed Javaid, the session in which the Pakistani delegation participated concluded on Friday and the finance minister was expected to return sometime on Saturday or Sunday.
An accountability court has indicted Dar in a corruption reference filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau. According to the reference, Dar possesses assets beyond his declared sources of income.
Meanwhile, reports suggested that ousted PM Nawaz Sharif will leave for London from KSA while Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif, PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and other PML-N leaders will join him in UK soon.
Soon after the picture went viral on social media, people took to Twitter to troll the finance minister:
NAB K Narghay Main Phansy Ishaq Dar Ka Dil Ek Martaba Phir Chori Ho Gia,
Marvi Memon K Bad Ab Shadi Shuda Khatoon Wazir K Ishq Main Giriftar— Naseer (@BadlooN_News) October 28, 2017
RUN DAR RUN…
Ishaq Dar FM went 2 Doshambe 4 meting in PM plane but the plane come back without Munshi Dar who run away 2 save his skin from money laundering emblazonment & Assets beyond means.
Abdul Malik Beraking Views news… pic.twitter.com/zFYu4oVnYi— Love_All (@With_Love_1) October 28, 2017
Sharjeel Memon in Jail, Dr. Asim on ECL. Why different law for Nawaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, Capt. Safdar, Maryam, Hassan & Hussain Nawaz. #NAB
— Deedar Ali Jatoi (@deedarjatoips35) October 28, 2017
