The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Sunday summoned Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to appear before investigators on August 22 for a probe into his assets and funds.
This is the second time Dar has been summoned by the bureau as it begins its Supreme Court-mandated inquiry into the property and assets of the Sharif family and the finance minister.
Dar had previously been summoned to appear before investigators on August 18 but the finance minister did not show up. A fresh summons was issued today asking him to appear on Tuesday.
On July 28, as the Supreme Court announced its verdict in the Panamagate case that sent former prime minister Nawaz Sharif packing, the five-judge bench of the apex court also asked NAB to file four references in the Rawalpindi accountability court within six weeks on the basis of the material collected and referred to by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) ─ which probed allegations of money laundering against the Sharif family ─ as well as that already available with the Federal Investigation Agency and NAB.
While three references are to be filed against members of the Sharif family in relation to their property and assets abroad, NAB was ordered to file a fourth reference against Dar as the JIT, in its report, had said that the finance minister possessed assets and funds that exceeded his known sources of income.
The JIT, in its report, stated that Dar had invested 5.5 million British pounds in Baraq Holdings in the UAE, but the source of these funds was not disclosed; it was only revealed that around 4.97 million pounds were given to him by his son.
In its inquiry against Dar, the bureau is expected to question the exorbitant increase in his assets from 2008 to 2009 which was pointed out in the JIT report.
The bureau has already issued summons to members of the Sharif family in references related to Azizia Steel Mills and the four upscale Avenfield flats. However, Nawaz and his children are yet to appear before investigators.
Last week, Nawaz and his two sons ─ Hassan and Hussain ─ were asked to join investigations into the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case at NAB's Lahore offices.
However, they did not appear before the NAB investigating team as it was decided they would not do so until a petition filed by the former premier in the Supreme Court seeking a review of the apex court's verdict that disqualified him from office is decided upon.
Earlier on Sunday, NAB proceeded with its inquiry into the Avenfield property as Nawaz Sharif, his children. and his son-in-law remained absent before the investigators.
