Pakistan finance minister pleads not guilty in corruption case

Pakistani Finance Minister Ishaq Dar pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to owning assets beyond his means, an official from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said, amid a corruption investigation into former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

A Pakistani court in a high-profile corruption case has indicted Dar on graft charges after investigators found his assets did not match his reported income.

Dar has close familial ties to Sharif, who was disqualified from holding office by the Supreme Court for concealing his financial assets in July.

"Dar told the court that he was innocent and he will prove that his assets are legitimate," Jan Achakzai, a PML-N official said.

His indictment comes a day after Sharif made his first appearance before a judge to face corruption cases.

The Supreme Court in July disqualified Sharif for not declaring a small source of income and ordered an investigation into Sharif, his children and Dar, Sharif's former accountant.

Dar's son is also married to one of Sharif's daughters.

State media report that Dar was present in the courtroom on Wednesday when a judge read the charges against him.

Dar did not speak to the media after his appearance in court in Islamabad but has dismissed all the allegations against him.

Under Pakistan's laws, Dar can continue to work as a minister until he is found guilty.

But opposition leaders have asked him to resign on moral grounds.

Under new Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Dar has been removed from the post of chairing the cabinet's powerful Economic Coordination Committee.

Sharif has also denied any wrongdoing and has been critical of the judiciary, calling the corruption proceedings against him a conspiracy.