Former finance minister Ishaq Dar. Photo: File

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) submitted on Monday its clause-wise response to former finance minister Ishaq Dar?s plea in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to suspend corruption proceedings against him.

On December 20, the IHC had stayed the corruption trial against Dar until January 17, when it will take up the case. Dar is accused of possessing assets disproportionate to his declared sources of income and is undergoing a case in an accountability court filed in light of the Supreme Court's July 28 judgment in the Panama Papers case. 

In its response to the IHC, NAB pleaded the court to dismiss the stay order halting the trial, stating that a proclaimed offender has to present himself before the court to get relief. 

The NAB has also requested the court to allow the continuation of proceedings against Dar.

IHC Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Aurangzeb will take up the plea on Wednesday. 

NAB court adjourns Dar assets reference hearing till January 18

NAB special prosecutor submitted IHC stay order copy to the accountability court

Dar, declared a proclaimed offender by the accountability court due to his continuous absence from the proceedings, had approached the IHC last year against the accountability court?s order declaring him a proclaimed offender and issuance of non-bailable arrest warrants for him.