An accountability court acquitted on Monday former finance minister Ishaq Dar in assets beyond means reference, Aaj News reported.

Judge Muhammad Bashir announced the reserved verdict. During the hearing, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Prosecutor Afzal Qureshi said that no substantial evidence was found against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader.

Judge Bashir asked the accountability watchdog to provide the same in writing.

On October 18, Judge Bashir reserved the verdict after both parties completed arguments on the plea of the accused on the court’s jurisdiction on the assets beyond means case against Dar and others.

Background

In 2017, the NAB filed a reference against Dar on the recommendations of the Supreme Court in its Panama Papers case verdict.

In the reference against Dar, NAB alleged the accused has acquired assets and pecuniary interests/resources in his own name and/or in the name of his dependents of an approximate amount of Rs 831.678 million.

Assets beyond means case: AC summons Dar on Oct 10

The reference alleged that the assets were disproportionate to his known sources of income for which he could not reasonably account for.

Former National Bank President (NBP) president Saeed Ahmed, and Mansoor Raza Rizvi and Naeem Mehmood, the directors of Ishaq Dar’s Hajveri Modaraba are the co-accused in the same case.

The same court, in December 2017, declared Dar a proclaimed offender as he failed to appear before the court, despite repeated summons.