Rehman Malik confused over future action on LHC order

Islamabad, May 23 (ANI): Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik is confused whether to approach the Supreme Court to get the "stigma of conviction" removed or go to the Lahore High Court for getting bail as he is receiving differing opinion from his legal advisers on his future course of action.

"I believe there are some points that need to be addressed at the apex court level about his conviction that was upheld by the LHC but pardoned by President Asif Ali Zardari," said Amjad Iqbal Qureshi, advocate, who pursues the cases of the Interior Minister in the Rawalpindi accountability courts.

Although Rehman Malik and his staff officer Sajjad Haider are to be arrested according to the concluding paragraph of the May 17 order of the LHC bench that upheld their three-year each sentence imposed on them in absentia, they have neither been taken into custody nor have they sought bails from the LHC, The News reports.

The NAB Chairman has the powers to issue arrest warrants of any accused. So far, there is no indication that he has ordered the arrest of Rehman Malik and Sajjad Haider.

However, the LHC order makes it clear that the accused, who had not got bails in the substantive offences under the NAB law, would have to be arrested.

Therefore, even if Rehman Malik was granted bail by the special judge, he has to seek it afresh in the light of the LHC ruling because the previous bail was not relevant or applicable, The News reports. (ANI)