ISLAMABAD – The embattled former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar seems to be in trouble as the accountability court hearing corruption reference against him has put forth serious questions regarding his illness.

In a detailed judgement released on Wednesday regarding the status of Ishaq Dar as a proclaimed offender, the accountability court Judge Muhammad Bashir observed that the under-trial former finance minister does not seem to have a serious heart condition.

During yesterday’s hearing in the accountability court, Dar’s lawyer had submitted a new medical report arguing that his client was suffering from chest pain and a minor issue in a coronary artery, thus seeking exemption from appearance.

The prosecution, however, rejected Dar’s lawyer’s claims declaring that the former minister was not suffering from any medical issues because all of his medical reports presented in court contradicted each other.

What could be of serious concern for Nawaz Sharif’s close confidante is the detailed order, in which the judge categorically mentioned that Dar’s medical reports fail to indicate that Dar was suffering from a serious cardiac ailment or that he was unfit to travel to Pakistan to appear before the courts.

‘When all the medical reports are kept together, it seems that the reports of [Dr] Ranjit Deshpandi are procured with the purpose to linger on the case/reference,’ the judge has stated.

The detailed order continues says that while one report by Dr Christopher Baker states that ‘there was no disease of ischaemia (heart disease)’, another report, by Dr Deshpandi ‘is of a different opinion’.

In black and white, the order states that ‘the accused is not appearing before the court deliberately and is avoiding execution of warrant’.

The order further details that the proclamation notice has rightly been issued as the ‘accused has absconded in the case.’

The order notes that according to a medical report submitted by Dar’s lawyer yesterday, ‘the accused has a small vessel coronary artery disease’ and does not require cardiac surgery.

The order says that the doctor has recommended Dar to visit a spinal surgeon but adds that the respondent (Dar) is not stopped to travel from London to Pakistan.

Dar Declared Proclaimed Offender

The accountability court in Islamabad declared Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, a proclaimed offender in a corruption reference filed by National Accountability Bureau regarding possession of assets beyond means.

Judge Mohammad Bashir had announced the decision after the finance minister did not attend the court hearings continuously as he is in London for medical treatment. He has skipped the last six hearings of the case.

As the hearing began on Monday, counsel for Dar submitted a fresh medical report of his client and asked the court to delay the proceedings to declare the finance minister proclaimed offender.

However, NAB special prosecutor Imran Shafique opposed the plea and urged the court to declare the accused proclaimed offender.

The court also ordered Dar to submit surety bonds within three days, otherwise, his assets will be seized.

The court has adjourned the hearing till December 20.

Dar’s Indictment

The finance minister had been indicted for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income during the last week of September.

Dar had rejected the allegations levelled by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in its reference prepared following the orders of the Supreme Court in its July 28 verdict in Panamagate case.