ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has summoned ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law, Capt (r) Safdar on Dec 14 pertaining to a petition filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) seeking cancellation of bail granted to Safdar. The bail had been granted to the accused by an accountability court hearing graft references against Sharif family.
As the court proceedings began, NAB’s deputy prosecutor general apprised the bench that the accountability court on October 2 had issued non-bailable warrants for Safdar, following which he was arrested and presented before the court on Oct 9.
The NAB official maintained that an order to release the suspect could only be passed by the Supreme Court, and pleaded with the bench to suspend the accountability court’s order and send Safdar to Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on judicial remand.
In response, Justice Aamer Farooq stated that Safdar needs to be summoned to the court since NAB seeks cancellation of his bail.
Subsequently, the IHC has summoned Safdar to appear on Dec 14. The hearing was later adjourned.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Nov 3, had moved the IHC against the accountability court’s order to release Safdar on bail after he was taken into NAB custody upon arrival in Pakistan from London on October 9.
The court had issued non-bailable warrants against him after he had failed to appear for previous hearings despite repeated notices regarding cases filed by NAB in light of the Supreme Court’s July 28 judgement in the Panama Papers case.
