KARACHI, June 10: A Sindh High Court division bench issued notices to the National Accountability Bureau and other respondents in a petition questioning an accountability court’s insistence on the appearance of the counsel of an accused after acceptance of her plea bargain.

Petitioner Shamim Alimuddin Pathan submitted through Advocate Shafi Mohammadi that despite being an innocent purchaser, she was implicated in the Alliance Motors reference for being in possession of a residential property belonging to the liquidated company. However, she was exempted from personal appearance and her plea bargain was accepted by the NAB chairman in December 2004.

While Mrs Pathan was allowed exemption, the trial accountability court ordered that her counsel should continue to appear on every date. Advocate Shafi Mohammadi submitted that the court order meant substitution of an accused by his or her counsel, which was illegal. There was no point in the counsel’s appearance after his client’s discharge under plea bargain, he submitted.

A division bench, comprising Justices Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Amir Hani Muslim, directed that notices be issued for June 14 to the NAB chief, the trial court and the SHC official assignee, who has been appointed liquidator for the defunct company.