The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday petitioned the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the accountability court's order to release retired Capt Safdar on bail after the former prime minister's son-in-law was taken into NAB custody upon arrival in Pakistan from London on Oct 9.

Safdar was taken into custody at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad ─ where he was set to appear before the accountability court in connection with a NAB reference ─ following the issuance of non-bailable arrest warrants by the same court after he failed to appear for previous hearings despite repeated notices.

NAB asked the IHC to suspend the accountability court's order asking NAB to release Safdar on bail after he furnished surety bonds worth Rs5 million.

The NAB prosecutor general, making Safdar and the accountability court judge party in the petition, challenged the decision to release Maryam Nawaz's husband, requesting he be sent to Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail on judicial remand.

The NAB petition maintained that an order to release the suspect can only be passed by the Supreme Court, and that the accountability court should have sent Capt Safdar to jail.

The petition comes days after Sindh lawmakers lambasted the NAB's 'double standards' in the accountability body's dealing with members of the Sharif family and others.