ISLAMABAD: A local court, on Tuesday, sought arguments on a plea from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman’s wife Bushra Bibi seeking bail in Toshakhana and Al-Qadir Trust cases till November 15.

The Accountability Court judge, Muhammad Bashir, while hearing the case, adjourned the hearing on Bushra Bibi’s bail plea.

During the hearing, Mirza Asim Baig, associate of Sardar Latif Khosa, counsel for Bushra Bibi told the court that his lead counsel was not available on Tuesday and therefore, sought arguments on the bail plea during the next hearing.

The court has already disposed of this application but the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is issuing summons to his client again and again, he said.

NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi that the defense is failing the application for the third time on the same grounds, he said, adding that our investigation officer (IO) had told the court that he has so far not issued arrest warrants. This application is not maintainable, he said.

The defence counsel said that the Lahore High Court has made it clear in Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz's case that the accused should be informed before his arrest.

On the one hand, NAB appeared before the court in the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif case without notice, and on the other hand, PTI chairman Imran Khan was abducted from court on May 9, he said.

The prosecutor replied that it was not kidnapping and an arrest.

The NAB has submitted a written reply in the court that they did not require the arrest of Bushra Bibi. The court adjourned the hearing till November 15.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023