Uneasy Ishaq Dar skips question on returning to Pakistan during interview

LONDON: Former Finance Minister during the Nawaz Sharif rule, Ishaq Dar on Tuesday claimed that he had no properties abroad and only owned a residence in Pakistan that was already seized on the orders of the incumbent government, ARY NEWS reported.

The absconding former finance minister seemed to be perplexed during the BBC talk show, HARDtalk, when the host asked if he and his family had any properties abroad as claimed by the authorities in Pakistan.

I owned a single property in Pakistan, which is now under the custody of the government while my children own a villa, he said when asked if they had properties in London and Dubai.

When the host asked as to when he plans to return to the country, Ishaq Dar said that he visited London for his medical treatment which is currently ongoing.

You are living in London for the past three years, are you still ill, the anchor asked to which, Dar responded in the affirmative and further said that let’s see what happens in future.

The absconding leader of the PML-N further raised questions on the human rights violations when the HARDtalk’s anchor asked as to why he did not return to Pakistan to face the cases against him if he had nothing to hide against his properties and accounts.

Read More: Government removes shelter home from Ishaq Dar’s residence

He further blamed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for maltreatment during custody.

When the BBC host compared Ishaq Dar with Nawaz Sharif and declared the latter as convicted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the former finance minister tried to nullify the conviction raising questions on the judgment of the apex court.

The former finance minister also had to face embarrassment during the interview when he levelled allegations of rigging during the 2018 polls. The host responding to it said that even the European Union observers have declared the electoral process during 2018 general elections as credible.