ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday restrained an accountability court from confiscating the properties of Ali Ahmed Qadoosi, the guarantor of former finance minister Ishaq Dar.

An IHC bench consisting of Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb held a preliminary hearing of a petition filed by Mr Qadoosi against the confiscation of his properties due to the absconding of Mr Dar.

Mr Qadoosi’s counsel told the court that Mr Dar was appearing in court regularly before the trial since the filing of the reference in September this year. He said the former finance minister had gone to the UK for medical treatment and had to stay there till his recovery.

According to the counsel, it is not possible for the guarantor to procure Mr Dar’s attendance in such circumstances and that the accountability court’s judge had asked the National Accountability Bureau to verify Mr Dar’s medical reports.

He said that though an inquiry in this regard is pending, Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir had declared the former finance minister a proclaimed offender and also started the process of confiscating the property of his guarantor.

The counsel said Mr Dar has also challenged the accountability court’s order that declared him a proclaimed offender and that the petition is fixed for hearing on Dec 20.

The bench then granted the stay order in Qadoosi’s favour till said date .

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2017