In the Supreme Court directed-corruption reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against the sitting Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, the accountability court has indicted the minister for possessing assets beyond the known and declared sources of his income. However, the minister has denied and refused all the charges against him vowing to prove himself innocent in the court of law.
It is significant to state that no media personnel was allowed to enter the court premises during the graft case proceedings.
The Secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Aftab Bajwa has been quoted as saying:
“The court illegally indicted Dar, which is why no lawyers or media persons were allowed to enter”
The court has set the next date of hearing on 4th October. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has submitted a list of 28 witnesses, to which the court has directed the trial to start producing witnesses on the said date as well.
Also Read: Is it time to say goodbye for Dar?
Statement by the judge
The charge sheet against Ishaq Dar was read by the Judge Mr. Muhammad Bashir. While issuing the copies of the reference, he said:
“The court intends to conduct daily hearings in the reference, so that the trial is concluded within the stipulated time of six months”
The judge further added:
“[A lot of] time has already been wasted. The court has to conclude the trial within six months as per the Supreme Court’s directions”
Senator Ishaq Dar reached the court a little before 9am and had to wait half an hour to enter the premises of the court. The reason behind the delay was that the doors were shut for the media as soon as he arrived at the court.
Under the reference filed by NAB, the bailable arrest warrants had been issued for Ishaq Dar last week.