08 February 2005	Tuesday	28 Zilhaj 1425

ISLAMABAD, Feb 7: The Supreme Court on Monday served notice on PPP Secretary General Jehangir Badar on a petition of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for cancellation of his bail , earlier granted by the Lahore High Court, in an assets corruption reference.

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Nazim Hussain Siddiqui, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and Justice Javed Iqbal also asked Jehangir Badar to file a written reply within two weeks but adjourned further proceedings for an indefinite period. The bench also summoned Attorney General Makhdoom Ali Khan to assist the court in the matter.

Advocate Ahmed Bilal Soofi, the NAB legal counsel, argued before the court that the high court could not have granted bail under Article 199 of the Constitution as no case for the violation of any fundamental rights was made out by the accused during the hearing before the high court.

While relying on an ouster clause namely Section 9-b in the NAB ordinance 1999, the counsel argued that the high court did not give due regard to the same.