The petitioner A K Dogar of Lawyers Foundation for Justice contended that the Supreme Court had declared section 24 (d) of the NAB ordinance as ultra vires of the Constitution with the observation that the clause denies the right of an accused to consult and be defended by a legal counsel of his/her choice.
He stated that the apex court had also observed that the ordinance required to be amended. The lawyer said that 17 years have passed, but the clause had not been amended despite a clear direction of the SC.
He argued that the enunciation of the law by the apex court is applicable to the clause 24 of the ordinance. He therefore asked the court to declare the arrest of Shahbaz Sharif and Khwaja brothers unlawful and order to release them under Article 4 of the Constitution.
The NAB had arrested Sharif in Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam on charges of misuse of his power being chief minister of Punjab while the Khwaja brothers were arrested in Paragon City scam.