Constitution of NAB: LHC issues notices to federal, provincial governments

LAHORE: A bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC), on Thursday issued notices to the federal and provincial governments, while hearing a petition regarding formation of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), ARY News reported.

Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan of the LHC ordered the federal and provincial governments to submit their replies by April 10.

In previous hearing the court had turned down a plea of Advocate A.K. Dogar seeking to restrain NAB Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal from performing his duty.

Advocate Dogar in his main petition had challenged the formation of the National Accountability Bureau.

Advocate Dogar had pleaded to the court to declare the formation of the present bureau and all its actions illegal. The petition had contended that there was no provision in the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 for the formation of a bureau and its members.

The ordinance was silent over the constitution of the NAB bureau, appointment of its members, the number of members and the appointing authority of the members, the petitioner said in his plea.

The court was further urged to set aside sentences awarded to the accused under the NAB law, including former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.