The Sindh High Court (SHC) repeated notices to ex-president Habib Bank Limited and other former officials of the bank on NAB’s appeal against their acquittal in a corruption reference.

NAB has challenged the acquittal of ex-HBL chief Younus Dalia, ex-Vice President Pir Didar Ahmed Sarhandi, ex-AVP Sabir Hussain and Anwar Haider Qureshi, ex-incharge of warehouse, by the Accountability Court under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

NAB contended that the NRO could not be implemented in this matter since the case pertained to a financial institution and the respondents could not take the benefit of the NRO.

SHC’s division bench comprising Justice Yasmeen Abbasey and Justice Nadeem Azhar Siddiqui observed that, except one respondent, Pir Didar Sarhandi, other respondents of the case were not served notices. The court ordered re-issuance of notices to these respondents and adjourned the hearing.

The court has already suspended the acquittal order of ex-Habib Bank officials by the Accountability Court in the corruption reference.

Former HBL chief Yonus Dalia, Didar Sarhandi, Sabir Hussain and Anwar Haider Qureshi were charged with embezzling over Rs236 million in 1996.