The Accountability Court resumed hearing in a reference pertaining to assets beyond means case filed against former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday. Accountability Court Judge Justice Mohammad Bashir heard the case against the former finance minister wherein the co-accused Saeed Ahmed, former president National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Naeem Mehmood and Mansoor Rizvi, the two directors of Dar's companies, also appeared.
During the course of hearing, the counsel for Naeem Mehmood and Mansoor Rizvi cross-examined Wajid Zia, the head of joint investigation team (JIT) formed by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. Wajid Zia told the court that he investigated the case on the directives of the apex court, adding that he was assigned 13 questions by the court and JIT carried on investigation in light of the questions.
Responding to the arguments by the defence lawyer Qazi Misbah that the court did not order to investigate Dar, the head of the JIT said that it is not true that the court had not assigned the JIT to probe into the assets beyond means case against the former finance minister.
Prosecutor NAB Afzal Qureshi raised objection on defence lawyer Misbah when he again questioned Zia as to whether the JIT had summoned Dar. The prosecutor argued that Misbah is not representing Dar in the court; hence, he cannot raise questions on the probe against the former finance minister.
He further argued that Misbah can only make arguments in the cases against Naeem Mehmood and Mansoor Rizvi and not in the case against Dar who has been declared as absconder by the court.
The cross-examination, however, went incomplete and the court adjourned the hearing till May 22 before asking the defence counsels to continue their arguments on the next hearing.
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