The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit a copy of the accountability court's order to release PML-N leader retired Captain Safdar on bail despite non-bailable arrest warrants being issued against him.

On Oct 9, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's son-in-law was taken into NAB custody upon arrival at Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad following the issuance of the warrants by the accountability court for repeatedly failing to appear for a corruption reference hearing.

Later that day, Safdar was granted bail by the accountability court after he appeared there with his wife, Maryam Nawaz, in connection with the corruption reference.

NAB last week petitioned the IHC against the accountability court's order to release Safdar on bail.

The anti-corruption body had asked the court to suspend the accountability court's order asking NAB to release Safdar on bail.

A two-member division bench of the high court ─ comprising Justice Umar Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani ─ conducted a hearing on NAB's petition on Monday.

During the hearing, the NAB lawyer told the bench that the accountability court did not have the jurisdiction to grant bail. Rather, the jurisdiction to do so lies with the high court, he said.

The prosecutor added that NAB had requested the court hand Safdar over to them on judicial remand. However, the accountability court had issued orders for his release against the payment of Rs5 million in surety bonds.

The court subsequently ordered a copy of the accountability court's decision pertaining to Safdar's release on bail, and adjourned the hearing indefinitely.