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Panama Papers Probe: Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar Indicted, Pleads Not Guilty
The apex court had disqualified Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister and ordered corruption cases against him
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Outlook Web Bureau
Updated: 27 Sep 2017 1:14 pm
Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was today indicted by an anti-corruption court, hearing the Panama Papers case, for possessing assets beyond known sources of income.
The minister pleaded not guilty to all charges, terming them baseless.
Anti-corruption watchdog National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on September 8 filed a case against Dar for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income following the July 28 verdict of the Supreme Court.
The apex court had disqualified Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister and ordered corruption cases against him, his children Maryam, Husain and Hasan and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar.
A situation of chaos was observed outside the accountability court when Dar arrived for the hearing. The doors to the court were shut for reporters, and the finance minister had to wait at least 20 minutes outside before he was allowed to enter the court premises from the back door.
Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar declared proclaimed offender in graft case
November 21, 2017 05:40 pm | Updated December 03, 2021 10:35 am IST - Islamabad
PTI
Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar arrives to appear before an anti-corruption court in Islamabad on September 27, 2017.
Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar arrives to appear before an anti-corruption court in Islamabad on September 27, 2017.
An accountability court ordered initiation of proceedings to declare Pakistan’s embattled Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as a proclaimed offender in a graft case in Islamabad on November 21.
Judge Mohammad Bashir held the hearing even as 67-year- old Mr. Dar remained absent as he is in London for medical treatment. The judge also rejected an application by Mr. Dar’s lawyer to grant him exemption.
The court also asked his guarantor, Ahmad Ali Qudoosi, to respond by November 24 as to why the surety bond of 5 million Pakistani rupees should not be confiscated as Mr. Qudoosi had failed to ensure Mr. Dar’s presence during the hearing. The court adjourned the hearing till December 4.
The case was filed against Mr. Dar by the National Accountability Bureau in light of the Supreme Court order of July 28 that also
disqualified Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister in the Panama Papers scandal.
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