ISLAMABAD, March 20: The Supreme Court on Thursday vacated a stay on accountability proceedings against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Secretary General Mohammad Jehangir Badr in Lahore and ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to settle the matter under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Justice Ijazul Hassan and Justice Chaudhry Ejaz Yousaf disposed of the matter when Mr Badr withdrew the petition against the NAB.

At the last hearing, the apex court had stayed the proceedings in an accountability court against Jehangir Badr pending decision of the instant matter.

On Thursday, Sardar Latif Khan Khosa, legal counsel for Mr Badr, submitted before the court that the NAB had already disposed of similar cases under NRO, therefore, his client also wanted to withdraw his petition against the proceedings of the NAB court to get benefit of NRO.

Jehangir Badr’s appeal in the accountability court requesting for re-examining of evidence against him was rejected, which was also upheld by the Lahore High Court.

He then moved the Supreme Court, which stayed proceedings of the NAB reference against him till its decision by the apex court.

Mr Badr was first elected as MNA on Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) ticket in the year 1988 and became Minister of Housing and Works with additional charge of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources. He also served as the minister for religious and political affairs in 1996.

After the dismissal of the second PPP government, the NAB filed two references against him on the allegations of excessive use of official powers, granting illegal appointments as well as receiving kickbacks and monetary benefits from various deals involving exploration of oil and other natural resources.