Ishaq Dar to approach Supreme Court against indictment

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar will approach the Supreme Court challenging his indictment by an accountability court on corruption charges.

Quoting Dar’s lawyer Abdul Rehman, ARY News reported Tuesday, the finance minister will challenge Islamabad High Court’s verdict in the apex court that dismissed his two petitions against the indictment.

Earlier on Oct 3,the division bench comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb had dismissed the petitions for being non-maintainable.

The minister through his counsel Khawaja Harris had contended that he was not allowed the minimum seven days to peruse the reference and voluminous reports before his indictment in the case under section 265-C of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Thus, he pleaded the court to set aside his indictment.

On Sept 27, Judge Muhammad Bashir of the accountability court had framed charges against Ishaq Dar, which he denied and opted to contest them.

The court had so far recorded the statements of five of a total of 28 prosecution witnesses against Dar.

It had also rejected a request by the finance minister seeking exemption from personal appearance before the court.