Pakistan finance minister indicted in corruption case

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan(AA) - Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, a close ally of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was formally accused of corruption on Wednesday, local media reported.

At the Accountability Court in Islamabad, the minister was indicted with having assets beyond his known sources of income, broadcaster Geo News said.

Reporters were not allowed into the hearing, presided over by Judge Mohammad Bashir.

According to evidence submitted by the National Accountability Bureau, Dar’s assets increased 90-fold since 1991, far outstripping his declared income.

Dar, whose son is married to Sharif’s daughter, faces the corruption claims alongside Sharif and family members of the former premier stemming from the Panama Papers revelations.

Sharif was disqualified from public office in July by the Supreme Court in relation to details uncovered about his family’s business activities, leading to his resignation as prime minister.

The April 2016 leaks revealed that three of Sharif’s children owned offshore assets not shown on his family's wealth statement, including luxury apartments in London.

The Supreme Court, which ordered the investigation against Sharif, his family members and Dar, found that Sharif had acted in an untrustworthy manner by failing to declare a salary from his son’s Dubai-based company ahead of the 2013 election.

Dar has rejected the allegations and told Wednesday’s hearing he would prove that his assets were within his means.

“The court has indicted the finance minister and adjourned the case till Oct. 4,” Development Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told reporters outside court.

“Everyone know that all allegations of corruptions against our leadership are baseless and we will fight against it in court.”