ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has given National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman Admiral (Retd) Fasih Bokhari seven days to appoint a lawyer to represent him in the contempt of court proceedings against him.

The apex court had issued a show-cause notice under Article 204 of the Constitution read with Section 3 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003 to the NAB chairman over a letter written by him to President Asif Ali Zardari.

“Whatever he has expressed in the letter, tantamount to causing interference with or to obstruct the process of the court and has used certain expressions to scandalise the court and its performance with an object to undermine the authority of the court and to bring it into hatred of the general public who approaches the court for decision of their cases,” the SC’s order issued on Jan 31 had said.

The apex court and asked him to appear before it on Feb 4.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, led by chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, heard the contempt of court case against the NAB chairman here today.

During today’s proceedings, Bokhari informed the court that he was unable to hire a counsel to represent him.

Bokhari pleaded to judges to grant him a week’s time to arrange a lawyer.

Accepting his request, the bench granted the NAB chairman seven day's time arrange legal representation, and adjourned the court to February 12.

The bench also announced that proceedings regarding the implementation of the Rental Power projects case would also be taken up at the next hearing.

This is not the first contempt notice issued to Admiral Bokhari.

Earlier on Sept 14 last year, the court had asked him to appear before it and explain why he should not be arraigned under contempt charges for not implementing its verdict in the RPP case.