Defence cross examines Hajveri Trust official in Ishaq Dar assets reference

ISLAMABAD: The defence counsel completed cross-examination of the accountant of Hajveri Trust in hearing of assets beyond known sources of income reference in accountability court against former finance minister Ishaq Dar, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Three co-accused in the case, Saeed Ahmed, Naeem Mehmood and Mansoor Rizvi were present in the court during the hearing today.

Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir adjourned the case till the next hearing on April 24.

The key prosecution witness, head of the joint investigation team in Panama Leaks case Wajid Zia, will appear before the court in the next hearing to record his statement.

Accountant of Hajveri Trust Karamat Ali in previous hearing recorded his statement, in the assets case against Ishaq Dar.

The defence counsel completed cross-examination of the accountant of Hajveri Trust today.

The statements of two officials of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Salman Saeed and Sidra Mansoor were recorded as prosecution’s witness earlier in the case.

The court on Wednesday (February 13) had approved the National Accountability Bureau (NAB)’s request to produce the two witnesses in the reference against Ishaq Dar.

A reference was filed by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Ishaq Dar following the Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case.

Ishaq Dar had earlier been declared a proclaimed offender by the accountability court due to his continuous absence from the proceedings.