An accountability court on Friday granted exemption from personal appearance to former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former secretary petroleum Arshad Mirza in a reference pertaining to alleged illegal appointment of managing director Pakistan State Oil (PSO).

Khawaja Naveed, the counsel for both the accused, appeared before the court and requested that his clients be granted exemption from appearance since they were unable to travel from Islamabad to Karachi amid the coronavirus lockdown.

The lawyer said that the absence of his clients from the court was unintentional and due to circumstance that were beyond their control. He informed the court that both the accused have been granted transit bail by the Islamabad High Court.

While accepting the plea, the court issued a show-cause notice to the Investigation Office in the case for not providing copies of the NAB reference against the accused.