The
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of Pakistan has recommended
placing the name of the country’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on the
no-fly list.
The development came yesterday shortly after an
accountability court released its three-page detailed order, issuing
Dar’s non-bailable arrest warrants while rejecting his plea seeking
exemption from personal appearance on medical grounds over a pending
corruption reference.
“After issuance of non-bailable warrant of
arrest against Ishaq Dar, the NAB has recommended that the ministry of
interior (MoI) place his name on the ECL,” read a statement issued by
the accountability watchdog.
ECL is short for “Exit Control List”, a database of the names of individuals who are prevented from leaving Pakistan.
The finance minister is already in London where he, according to his counsel, is getting treatment for ischemic heart disease.
Dar’s
counsel had sought his exemption from personal appearance before the
court for a period of three to six weeks, contending that “much time is
required by the doctors to give a final advice about Dar’s medical
condition”.
However, in its short order, the court on Tuesday rejected the request and issued Dar’s non-bailable warrant.
The
written order issued yesterday said: “The defence counsel has contended
that (a) vein of the heart of the accused is ruptured and he is
admitted to a hospital but no such report has been annexed with the
application for exemption from court’s proceedings.”
“Two medico
legal reports are submitted. The last one is issued by Dr Ranjit
Deshpande, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon, on November 6. The report
is procured by the accused from an Indian doctor. Previously, medico
legal report was issued by Dr Christopher Baker,” the order added.
“It
shows that two different medical reports of two different doctors are
produced without any medical report about the latest position of the
accused. Therefore, the application submitted for exemption of accused
from personal appearance is not entertainable,” the court order read,
adding that the accused was “deliberately” not appearing before the
court.
The court also directed Dar’s guarantor, Ali Ahmad Quddusi, to
ensure presence of the accused at the next hearing on November 21 or
risk forfeiting his surety bond.
On October 27, Dar flew to Tajikistan for a one-day official trip to attend a conference.
However, later he changed his plans, extended his stay and flew to the UK where his health condition reportedly deteriorated.
An
accountability court has been hearing a corruption reference against
him for accumulating wealth beyond known sources of income.
Dar has
skipped last three hearings of the case, which was filed in view of the
Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict in Panamagate case.
This reference is
one of the four that the Supreme Court had ordered that the NAB file
against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his three children, his
son-in-law, and Dar.
On November 2, the accountability court ordered a
freeze on all the domestic assets, properties, bank accounts and
investments owned by Dar and his family members.
Dar: presently in London for medical treatment.