NAB responds to Interpol rejecting plea for Ishaq Dar's extradition

ISLAMABAD: Responding to Interpol rejecting a request by Pakistan to issue former finance minister Ishaq Dar’s red arrest warrants and giving him a clean chit, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said on Monday he has been declared a proclaimed offender over his perpetual absence in an assets beyond means case.

A spokesperson for the corruption watchdog said it has prepared a reference against the PML-N leader over possessing assets beyond his known sources of income. Interpol lacks powers to declare anyone innocent, he added.

He said the bureau has options other than Interpol to bring Dar back, adding efforts are afoot for his extradition.

Moreover, the spokesperson said Interpol had issued its decision about the former federal minister’s extradition a few months back, and presenting it at present is nothing if not propaganda.

Interpol issued a clean chit to Ishaq Dar while rejecting a request for issuing his red warrants.

The Ministry of Interior of Pakistan had earlier requested the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) to issue a red arrest warrant notice against Ishaq Dar who is facing corruption cases in the country.

The Interpol accepted the evidence submitted by Dar to it after the request of the government of Pakistan.

Dar in his evidence claimed that some elements and the incumbent government in Pakistan was subjecting him to political revenge.

The Interpol General Secretariat decided the matter in a session of the Commission for the Control of Files.

The International Criminal Police Organisation also informed all its National Central Bureaus (NCBs) to delete all data files in their systems on Ishaq Dar, issuing him a clean chit that he was not subject to an Interpol Red Notice.