PESHAWAR, Dec 13: The Peshawar High Court on Wednesday, issued notice to the NAB in a writ petition filed by NWFP former chief secretary Khalid Aziz, requesting the court to release him on bail.

A division bench, comprising Justice Khalida Rachied and Justice Qaim Jan Khan, fixed Jan 10 for next hearing.

Senior advocate Zafar Abbas Zaidi appeared for the petitioner and argued that Aziz had already completed his prison term awarded by the court and since then one additional year had passed. Proceedings in a fresh reference against the former had yet to start, he added.

Mr Aziz was sentenced to four-year imprisonment for possessing assets out of all proportions to his known sources of income. Later on, the high court partially accepted his appeal and reduced his term to two years.

In the meantime, the NAB (National Accountability Bureau) filed another reference against him for using influence and getting Rs15 million contract for his family firm from the primary education department. The company had received money without providing required furniture to the department, the bureau alleged.

The case was earlier filed before the accountability court in Attock, but recently it was shifted to Peshawar on orders of the Supreme Court. It is yet to be assigned to any of the accountability courts.

Mr Zaidi argued before the court that the charges levelled against Mr Zia in the instant case were already included in the previous reference for which he was convicted. A person could not be convicted twice for the same reference,he added.