Finance Minister Ishaq Dar after appearing before the Panama case JIT earlier this year. Photo: File

ISLAMABAD: Corruption proceedings against Muhammad Ishaq Dar ? the Federal Minister for Finance ? are set to resume Monday morning in the assets reference case the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed against him.

During the last hearing on October 12 ? that saw the powerful ruling party member staying in the court for around eight hours ? two prosecution witnesses recorded their statements and submitted details of bank accounts linked to Dar. 

Khawaja Harris, Dar's counsel, objected to the veracity of the documents submitted by Tariq Javed of Al Baraka Bank ? one of the witnesses ? saying if the court desires continuing proceedings in such a manner, then the case will be wrapped up in a few days.

"Electronic statements cannot be taken as primary evidence," Harris argued, requesting the court to make his objection part of its record.

Ishaq Dar corruption case: Bank account details submitted, hearing adjourned till Oct 16

Accountability court summoned two witnesses of the prosecution to record statements

However, NAB Special Prosecutor Imran Shafiq counterargued that it is the court?s job to decide what constitutes as primary evidence and that any missing or unverified documents can be added and corrected later.

Later, Shahid Aziz of the National Investment Trust (NIT) gave his testimony.

The NAB has submitted a list of 28 witnesses with the accountability court, which is hearing the Supreme Court-directed case against Dar and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family. 

Dar ? who was indicted on September 27 for owning assets beyond his known sources of income ? has denied all charges and vowed to prove his innocence in court.

Ishaq Dar indicted in assets reference case; hearing adjourned until Oct 4

The finance minister denied the charges and vowed to prove his innocence in court

The minister also challenged his indictment and trial in the Islamabad High Court but the pleas were dismissed with directions to take them to Justice Ijazul Ahsan ? the Supreme Court judge monitoring the corruption references.

The reference

The corruption reference pertaining to Dar's owning assets disproportionate to his known sources of income was filed by the NAB in light of the Supreme Court's July 28 judgment in the Panama Papers case.

After skipping his first hearing ? for which a summons had been issued ?Dar appeared in court later after bailable warrants for his arrest were been issued to ensure his presence.

The judge then directed Dar to deposit a Rs. 5 million surety bond to ensure his appearance at the hearings.