The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday extended the interim bail of former federal minister and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F)'s leader Akram Khan Durrani till March 17th, in four inquiries initiated by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

A division bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb conducted hearing of the petitions filed by Durrani. During the hearing, NAB Special Prosecutor Jehanzeb Bharwana said that the anti-graft watchdog intended to submit its detailed reply in the matter. Therefore, he sought two weeks' time for submission of reply.

Later, the court deferred hearing in the matter till March 17. Previously, the chief justice had remarked that Akram Durrani had been holding public office, while the principal account officer of the ministry was secretary who was holding all the powers. He asked from the NAB that whether it had also arrested the principal account officer. At this, the prosecutor said that the secretary was also an accused in the case. The bench remarked that the bureaucrats who had all the powers, had been protected through the amendment in the NAB Ordinance, while inquiry had been initiated against the person, having no powers, for misuse of authority.

The NAB prosecutor informed the bench that arrest warrants had been issued against Durrani in illegal appointment inquiry, not in a case pertaining to holding assets beyond known source of income.

The petitioner had sought pre-arrest bails in four cases pertaining to alleged holding of assets beyond known sources of income, bullet proof vehicle, recruitment in housing ministry, and misuse of his authority.