The accountability court hearing a corruption reference against former finance minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Monday declared him a proclaimed offender due to his continued absence from the proceedings.
Ishaq Dar, who remains a federal minister but has been in London for over a month due to medical treatment, is accused by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The court also ordered Dar's bail guarantor Ahmad Qudoosi to produce the suspect within three days, warning seizure of his Rs5m surety bond if he fails to do so.
As the hearing began, Dar's counsel submitted his client's fresh medical report in court and pleaded for delaying his declaration as a proclaimed offender.
However, NAB special prosecutor Imran Shafique opposed the plea.
Judge Mohammad Bashir then reserved the order.
Announcing his decision, the judge declared Dar a proclaimed offender and ordered his bail guarantor to ensure his presence in court within three days or lose the surety bond of Rs5 million.
Also during the hearing, Qazi Misbah, a former deputy prosecutor general of NAB, appeared on behalf of Dar and requested the judge to be allowed to plead Dar's case. However, the judge dismissed the request as Misbah is not a counsel in the case.
The case was filed by NAB in light of the Supreme Court's July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case,
Dar is accused of owning assets that are disproportionate to his declared sources of income. He has skipped the last six hearings of the case owing to his medical treatment in London.
The court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Dar on November 14 and declared him an absconder on November 21.
At the last hearing on December 4, the court had reserved its decision on formally declaring Dar a proclaimed offender.
During the last proceedings, Dar’s counsel Qusain Faisal Mufti submitted his client's medical report. He also objected to the 'hasty' order of the court in reducing the notice period from 30 days to 10.
