ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed on Wednesday Senator Ishaq Dar’s plea to suspend his declaration as a proclaimed offender by the accountability court conducting corruption proceedings against him.
Dar, a former finance minister, is accused of possessing assets disproportionate to his declared sources of income. A reference against him was filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in light of the Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case.
Hearing Dar’s plea, the two-member IHC bench also ended the stay order on the accountability court proceedings against him.
Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb observed in the short order that it seems that Dar’s medical report was drafted on his wishes. When Dar’s counsel stated that his client has the right to get treatment from a doctor of his choice, Justice Athar Minallah questioned if Dar does not have faith in local doctors. Pakistan has good medical facilities, the judge remarked further.
Published in Daily Times, January 18th 2018.
