ISLAMABAD – The accountability court on Wednesday adjourned the proceeding regarding the seizure of surety bond due to the non-appearance of former finance minister Ishaq Dar in a corruption case till December 4.
As per reports, the court has given a last chance to the Dar’s guarantor for producing the finance minister on next hearing in a reference regarding possession of assets beyond known sources of income.
As Judge Mohammad Bashir resumed hearing of the case, the guarantor named Ahmed Ali Qudoosi and his counsel did not appear. The court then took a short recess and summoned Qudoosi.
Later, he reached the court after much delay to attend the hearing. The guarantor informed the court that Dar was out of the country for medical treatment and sought more time to produce him.
However, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Prosecutor Imran Shafique opposed the plea saying the accused had already been given enough time.
After hearing the arguments, the judge adjourned the proceedings on the seizure of surety bond worth Rs5 million till Dec 4.
Meanwhile, the NAB has started a process of declaring Dar a proclaimed offender on not showing up in the court for trial in a case.
The Bureau has put up a notice outside the accountability court asking Dar to appear before the court within 10 days i.e. December 4 otherwise he will be declared a proclaimed offender.
During last hearing, the court had declared the former finance minister an absconder and warned his guarantors of the seizure of surety bonds if the accused did not attend the hearing.
Dar’s Guarantor Ahmed Ali Quddusi had asked the court to grant three weeks time to present the former minister before the court.
