LAHORE, Feb 25: The Lahore High Court on Monday rejected a plea to order production of former PPP federal minister Asif Ali Zardari to contest a government appeal against grant of bail to him by a sessions court.

Mr Zardari was granted bail in a narcotics case and the prosecution moved an appeal against the trial court order. Advocate Latif Khan Khosa appeared for him before a division bench comprising Justices Karamat Nazir Bhandari and Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry on Monday. He requested that the accused be allowed to appear to appoint his counsel. He also sought time for preparation.

The bench pointed out that Mr Khosa was already appearing for the respondent and there was no need to order his production. It fixed March 11 for regular hearing of the prosecution appeal.

FATIANA’S APPEAL: The accountability appellate bench, meanwhile, issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau in an appeal moved by former provincial education minister Riaz Fatiana against his conviction by an accountability court. The appeal was admitted to regular hearing on its turn.

The bench, which consists of Justices Mian Nazir Akhtar and Mian Najamuzzaman, also put the NAB on notice in an appeal filed by National Bank executive Abu Saleh Islahi. He said he and two other bank officials were accused with former air marshal Waqar Azim. His colleagues, who faced trial, were fined Rs200,000 each, while he was tried in absentia and sentenced to three years’ jail. Had he stood trial, he said, he would also have been sentenced to pay fine.