ISLAMABAD: In the Panamagate case verdict, two judges, including Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, have directed the National Accountability Bureau to proceed against the finance minister in Hudaibiya Papers Mills case, in which Ishaq Dar had been accused of laundering money.
“The National Accountability Bureau is directed to proceed against Muhammad Ishaq Dar in connection with (Hudaibiya) reference wherein the respondent (Dar) was not an accused person when the reference was quashed by the Lahore High Court,” according to a judgement of Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Gulzar Ahmed.
The judges’ observations in the case has brought the 26-year-old case back to the limelight, which was also one of the main points pleaded by the petitioners for the disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
However, Ali Zafar, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, said that the judgement remained academic in nature and had no legal binding. Yet, the observations made in the minority judgement can be used for discussion purposes.
In the Hudaibiya Papers Mills case, Ishaq Dar had made a confessional statement, disclosing details of money laundering to the tune of $14.9 million on part of Nawaz Sharif and his family. However, later on, Dar claimed that the confessional statement had been obtained forcefully.
Dar’s lawyer had submitted before the apex court that it would be unjust and unfair to reopen the matter after a lapse of more than 16 years.
