KARACHI, June 30: A bail order once passed cannot be recalled or cancelled without notice to the accused, a division bench of the Sindh High Court held on Monday.

Dr Arshad Zaman, standing trial in a kidnapping case before a special court for suppression of terrorist activities, was granted bail in the sum of Rs 50,000 by the trial court. The court, however, decided to recall its bail order when the complainant deposed in his testimony that he was being threatened by the accused. No notice of the withdrawal was issued to the accused to enable him to contest the allegation.

Zaman challenged the cancellation of bail in the Sindh High Court and a division bench, comprising Justices Anwar Zaheer Jamali and M. Mujibullah Siddiqui, held that the bail order could not be withdrawn without notice. Advocate Jawaid Akhtar appeared for the state.

The same bench, meanwhile, continued hearing of appeals by Iqbal Turabi and his wife against their conviction by an accountability court. Barrister Azizullah Shaikh will continue his arguments on Tuesday.

National Accountability Bureau’s counsel, meanwhile, opposed the grant of bail to former federal secretary Javed Burki and co- accused Muzammil Niazi. The two are facing trial before an accountability court for having allegedly deprived the public exchequer of Rs1.76 in a shady truck manufacturing deal. The bail pleas are being heard by Justice Shabbir Ahmed as a referee judge following a split verdict by a division bench.