LAHORE: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who has been admitted to a London hospital, is likely to undergo a cardiac procedure that may force him to extend his stay in the United Kingdom, it emerged on Friday.

An accountability court hearing a corruption case against Mr Dar had on Thursday rejected his application seeking exemption from personal appearance.

A media report suggested that Mr Dar was on Wednesday admitted to a West London hospital, where he underwent angiography the next day.

He is likely to undergo angioplasty later today.

Quoting hospital sources, the report said that Mr Dar had been to the clinic thrice for detailed check-ups in the last one week after arriving in London from Pakistan.

It claimed that the doctors advised the finance minister to extend his stay in the UK and get treatment on a priority basis.

His son Ali Dar and other family members are also in London, looking after him.

On Thursday, his lawyers told the accountability court hearing a money laundering reference against him that Mr Dar was in London for treatment of his heart problem and would undergo a medical check-up within 24 hours.

The court rejected his plea, maintained his bailable arrest warrants and adjourned the hearing till Nov 8.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2017