ISLAMABAD: In two separate post-arrest bail petitions filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz members, the Islamabad High Court has given the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) three days to reply.

A two-member bench consisting of Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Lubna Saleem Pervez heard the hearing adjourn the trial in Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal’s post-arrest bail hearing until February 13 and warned the anti-graft watchgod that the high court will not approve of any further request for delay.

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Abbasi’s lawyer told the bench that his client was in custody for more than 200 days. “He is being denied basic rights.”

When the office said it would file a reply within three to four days, the bench ordered NAB to file a reply at the next hearing.

In raising objections to NAB’s request to obtain time, counsel for Iqbal Tariq Jahangir lamented that the office dismisses would detain suspects before the courts “issues warrants” immediately afterwards.

Justice Minallah stated that a supreme court verdict enabled the investigative agency to retain suspects in custody.

“If the suspect believes the NAB chairman is abusing his power then they may claim damages.”