A Pakistani court on Wednesday issued a bailable arrest warrant against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and ordered the police to produce him before it on September 25, after he failed to appear in a corruption case linked to the Panama Papers scandal.
The accountability court, which is hearing the graft cases filed by top anti-graft watchdog National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on September 8, against ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his children and Dar, expressed anger at the absence of the minister.
Dar's protocol officer appeared on his behalf and informed the court that the minister was out of the country and would appear on his return. However, he failed to give any specific date for the return of Dar who is accused of possessing assets beyond his known sources of income.
NAB Prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar urged the court to issue arrest warrants, which the court accepted. Judge Mohammad Bashir directed the police to arrest Dar and produce him in the next hearing on September 25. However, the minister can avoid arrest by submitting a surety bond worth '1 million.
