Ishaq Dar’s expected return to Pakistan to be a test case for courts

Reports have started circulating in the mainstream media that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former finance minister Ishaq Dar Watan is returning home next month.

The media reports also suggested that Ishaq Dar will be appointed as finance minister again. News360 has already reported four days ago the current finance minister Miftah Ismail will be sent home after the budget.

The return of Ishaq Dar will be a test for the courts first \because Ishaq Dar is a proclaimed offender declared by the courts.

Dar’s passport had been cancelled by the PTI regime in 2018 and it was placed under such a category under which the renewal of the passport was banned. Now Dar will have to consult his doctor for taking precautionary measures to get a flight for his return to Pakistan, according to The News.

سابق وزیرِ خزانہ اسحاق ڈار کی پاکستان واپسی (اگر خبر درست ہے) تو مکمل خوش آئند فیصلہ ہے۔ نہ صرف پاکستان کی معیشت اُنکے تجربے و تعلقات سے مستفید ہو گی بلکہ مسلم لیگ ن کیلئے بھی تبدیلی کا خوشگوار جھونکا ہو گی۔ اسحاق ڈار نے ہمیشہ نامساعد حالات میں بیڑا سنبھالا اور کامیان ہوئے۔

— Gharidah Farooqi (@GFarooqi) June 27, 2022

It is pertinent to mention here that there are various cases against the senior PML-N leader, in which he is specifically accused of not submitting details of his assets for 22 years. On the other hand, he insisted that he has already submitted a 32-year record of his assets.

Dar was elected as a senator on a technocrat seat from Punjab in 2018. He could not take oath due to his stay in London. However, the SC suspended his membership over his failure to appear in court on May 8, 2018.

In July 2019, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had obtained evidence in a money laundering case against former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, after which the NAB took action and transferred Rs500 million from his various bank accounts to the provincial government.

The NAB had also directed the provincial government to sell Ishaq Dar’s bungalow and deposit the amount in the provincial treasury, which was worth Rs 12-15 crore at that time.

News360 sources said that Dar’s lawyers would soon apply for his security bail. Upon his arrival in Pakistan, he will soon assume his responsibilities as a senator and will also face charges against him.

‘Not considering to replace Ismail’

Yesterday, PML-N leader and federal minister Ayaz Sadiq said in an informal media talks that Dar will face cases after returning to Pakistan.

“No time frame is fixed for the return of Ishaq Dar,” Ayaz Sadiq quoted by ARY News. He said Ishaq Dar will take oath as a Senator after returning to Pakistan and will face the cases registered against him. Replying to a question, the federal minister said the incumbent government is not considering replacing Finance Minister Miftah Ismail.