Bailable arrest warrant issued against Dar

Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ’s brother Shehbaz Sharif — the incumbent Punjab chief minister — is set to take over as the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) president soon.

PML-N sources said that Shehbaz Sharif was likely to be given charge of the ruling party as senior party leaders met in London on Monday.

During the meeting, the leaders also discussed current political scenario and future strategy for the PML-N, party sources said.

Nawaz Sharif, who is facing National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references in Pakistan, left for London from Jeddah on Sunday while his brother Shehbaz reached London on the same day.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and foreign minister Khawaja Asif also arrived in London from Islamabad while federal minister for finance Ishaq Dar, who was summoned by the accountability court for the hearing of NAB asset reference on Monday, also joined them.

A senior PML-N leader revealed that Nawaz Sharif was expected to return from London to Pakistan on November 2 to attend accountability court hearing on November 3.

Later on Monday, Mr Sharif said that there was no “minus-Nawaz” formula being considered by the party. Speaking to reporters in London after a meeting of top PML-N leaders there, Nawaz refuted rumours of rifts within the party, the Express News reported.

Mr Sharif said that he would appear before an accountability court on November 3 in connection with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against him. “I can see and understand what’s going on but I will still return to Pakistan to face the court,” he added.

The PML-N chief said he was denied a fair trial in the Panamagate scandal, as he was disqualified over an iqama (UAE work permit) instead of the actual case itself. Islamabad, Oct. 30: A Pakistani anti-graft court today issued a bailable arrest warrant against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar after he failed to appear before it in a corruption case spiralling from the Panama Papers scandal.

The Accountability Court dismissed Dar’s application seeking exemption from personal appearance in the case hearing.

Mr Dar’s counsel Khawaja Haris appeared in the court of judge Muhammad Bashir and sought Dar’s exemption from appearance as he was in London to seek medical treatment.

But the court rejected the plea and issued bailable arrest warrant and ordered him to appear in the next hearing on November 2.

Dar has so far appeared before the court seven times.