ISLAMABAD - The Accountability Court Islamabad Thursday directed the National Accountability Bureau to submit a reply on former finance minister Ishaq Dar’s application, seeking to reopen the seized bank accounts of Hajveri Trust.
Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir issued the orders while hearing a corruption reference against Dar and also summoned four more witnesses in the case at the next date of hearing.
During the hearing of the reference, “entitled assets and funds beyond known sources of income”, NAB Prosecutor Imran Shafiq told the trial court that the Islamabad High Court has rejected Dar’s petition challenging the issuance of his arrest warrants and declaring him a proclaimed offender by the accountability court on December 20, 2017. The IHC has also directed the accountability court to continue proceedings in the corruption reference against Dar.
Shafiq told the court that statements of 10 witnesses, out of 28, have been recorded so far and requested the court to conduct the hearing of the reference on a daily basis. However, the court deferred the hearing of the case till January 22.
Moreover, the court adjourned proceedings on Dar’s application filed to reopen seized bank accounts of Hajveri Trust till January 24. The court directed the NAB prosecutor to submit a reply on Dar’s plea at the next hearing.
Dar through his counsels Qausain Faisal Mufti and Qazi Misbah-ul-Hassan on January 10 submitted an application to the accountability court seeking approval for operationalization of Hajveri Trust’s bank accounts.
According to the applicant, the Trust was taking care of 93 orphans and, if it was not allowed to operate its bank accounts, the orphans will suffer. The accountability court on December 11, 2017, declared Dar a proclaimed offender and ordered for attachment of his properties.
On November 14, the NAB had filed an application before the court seeking to freeze Dar’s two properties that were in the names of Hajveri Trust and Hajveri Foundation. The NAB in its application had said that the two properties were managed by Dar and his wife. The court would resume hearing in the matter on January 24.