LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) constituted a larger bench on Thursday on a petition against the appointment of Justice (r) Javed Iqbal as chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
LHC Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Shamim Khan constituted the bench, comprising Justice Qasim Khan, Justice Malik Shahzad and Justice Asjad Javed Gharal on a petition filed by Advocate A.K. Dogar.
Dogar had moved the provincial high court in March this year, seeking directives to annul the appointment of the NAB chairman and a reversal of all actions taken by the accountability watchdog during his stint.
The lawyer was of the view that the NAB chief had been appointed in violations of the laws and the Constitution, seeking the court to reverse the sentence of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif who was convicted after the bureau filed references against him.
On the issue of Sharif’s release, Justice Qasim Khan had rejected the plea, remarking that the former premier’s bail applications were already pending before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
He, however, referred the matter of the NAB chairman’s appointment to the LHC chief justice, recommending the formation of a larger bench to hear the case.
The incumbent NAB chief was appointed during the stint of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz in 2017.