Dar owns three flats in Dubai, house in Lahore, four plots in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Friday directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit complete details of the former finance minister Ishaq Dar’s assets by October 1.

During the hearing, NAB Special Prosecutor Imran Shafiq presented his arguments and said if reservations are not raised within the given time, then the assets can be sold. “The accused can approach the court till six months after the assets are sold,” he added.

Shafiq further said that so far Dar has expressed no reservations and even if he appears before the court after the assets are sold, then he can be granted his rights. The NAB special prosecutor also requested the court to issue an order regarding Dar’s properties in Islamabad and Lahore, which are beyond the court’s ambit.

The accountability court judge, then, asked the NAB special prosecutor to submit details of Dar’s properties that have been seized, and the NAB prosecutor submitted the details of the seized assets.

According to NAB, Dar owns three flats in Dubai, a house in Lahore’s Gulberg, four plots in Islamabad and one luxury car. NAB also informed the court that the former finance minister is a shareholder in three companies based in Dubai, while his wife owns six cars in Pakistan. “Dar and his wife have also invested Rs3,453,000 in Hajveri Holdings Pvt Limited.”

NAB has filed a petition and sought permission to sell off assets of former finance minister Ishaq Dar, who was already declared as absconder by the accountability court. The former finance minister has been in London since October 2017 for his medical treatment. The accountability court already declared him an absconder in the corruption reference against him.

NAB Special Prosecutor Imran Shafiq filed petition which sought the permission to sell all assets held by Dar in Pakistan states that more than six months have passed but the accused (Ishaq Dar) has consciously and intentionally disappeared in order to avoid the process issued by this court.

The petition said that the accused pretended his ailment, but he is taking active part to perform his daily pursuits. He has failed to appear and justify his inability based on valid grounds.

The petition states that a proper order be issued through which a district officer (Revenue) may be ordered to appoint a receiver of the properties who may require to take possession, the rent or other revenues, being collected from these properties be received and collected by the receiver, and it must be deposited in the government treasury or as an alternate the district revenue officer be ordered to make appropriate arrangement for the sale of these properties.

The petition further states that moveable property be also taken in to possession, and, if some perishable commodity is attached, the same be ordered to be sold immediately through the receiver for which appropriate order for the sale of moveable properties be also passed.

NAB further requested the court that another appropriate action which this learned court considers appropriate and necessary for the disposal/custody of the said properties of the proclaimed offender be also issued.

A reference against the former finance minister was filed by NAB in light of the Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case. Dar had earlier been declared a proclaimed offender by the accountability court due to his continuous absence from the proceedings.

Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had accepted Dar’s request to be relieved of his duties as the finance minister. Ishaq Dar is currently residing in London where he is reportedly undergoing medical treatment.