Pakistan: Islamabad court serves notice to accountability bureau for issuing summons to Imran Khan, wife

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 3 (ANI): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday issued a notice to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for summoning former Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case without following the standard operating procedure (SOPs), Geo News reported.

The IHC took up the pleas filed by Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, challenging the call-up notices of February 17 and March 16 issued by NAB. The court announced the verdict later while issuing notices to NAB for its response.

In the petition, Bushra Bibi requested the court that the NAB's call-up notices should be declared illegal. The petition has requested the court to stay the inquiry by changing the investigation till the final decision of the Toshakhana case and also stay the disciplinary action against the petitioners based on the call-up notices.

The division bench headed by Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the pleas. Khawaja Haris, the counsel representing Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, said that the NAB's notices did not mention in which capacity the information was being sought, as per the Geo News report.

Advocate Haris said, "Providing complete information about the notices is mandatory for NAB as per the judicial orders." At the counsel's statement, Aamer Farooq asked about the procedure of serving notices as per the latest NAB amendments. Responding to the query, the lawyer said, "The Amendment Act says the NAB must establish a reason and communicate it [to the receiver] for summoning someone."

Farooq asked whether former Pakistan PM Imran Khan received the summons. The lawyer then presented the NAB's call-up notices issued to Imran Khan in court. The lawyer said that they were not provided with information in the notices, according to Geo News report.

The lawyer said, "We weren't provided information in the notices. It only mentioned that it was about an inquiry against public office holders." He further said that the Cabinet Division and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) were also involved in the Toshakhana gifts case.

The Islamabad High Court's Chief Justice then asked if Imran Khan appeared before the NAB authorities in response to these notices. The lawyer responded, "No he (Khan) did not" and further said, "He sent a written response only."

Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz asked whether the NAB took any action against Khan over his response. The lawyer responded, "No, it did not." The court asked the NAB prosecutor to present his arguments, as per the Geo News report.

The Islamabad High Court's Chief Justice asked whether notice had been served to Khan again. At this, the NAB prosecutor informed the court that a reminder had been sent to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan. (ANI)