A division bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday suspended the single-bench verdict of the IHC to remove Chairman National Bank of Pakistan Arif Usmani and Chairman Board of Directors (BoD) Zubyr Soomro. 

A single-member bench of the high court had ordered Usmani and Soomro’s removal from the posts last month, in reponse to petitions challenging their appointments.

A two-judge bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamer Farooq heard the miscellaneous appeals against the decision of the single-member bench over the two persons’ removal.

Attorney General Khalid Javed appeared on behalf of the finance minister while senior lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan appeared on behalf of his client, Usmani, at the high court.

The attorney general said Usmani and Somroo had been affected by the decision of the single-member bench.

The AG said that there was no issue for the publication of an advertisement for the post of NBP president.

The court served notices to respondents in the case and adjourned the hearing.