KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Monday expressed its displeasure over the absence of provincial Law Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar during the hearing of his petition against the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for allegedly harassing him.

Headed by Justice Sadiq Hussain Bhatti, a two-judge bench was hearing the constitutional petition of the provincial law minister, who asked the court to restrain the NAB authorities from `harassing`him in respect of an inquiry.

During the hearing, the bench members became visibly irked by the absence of the minister in court.

Coming down hard on Mr Lanjar`s counsel advocate Farooq H. Naek, the bench asked him why his client did not turn up.

The counsel informed the court that the law minister was engaged in a meeting of a parliamentary committee, therefore, he was not able to attend the hearing.

He asked the court to exempt the minister from appearing before it due to his engage-ment. Mr Lanjar in his petition submitted that NAB had issued him a call-up notice directing him to appear before it to answer its queries.

He submitted that he was never involved in corruption or misuse of powers, adding that he could, however, be arrested with mala fide intentions.

The minister requested the SHC to restrain NAB from arresting him by granting him pre-arrest bail.

Notice on bail plea The same bench issued a notice to the special publicprosecutor on the bail application of Muttahida Qaumi Movement worker M. Zubair, alias Lala, alias Charya, in the Baldia Town factory fire case.

The bench put off the hearing to a date to be later pronounced by the court`s office.

The applicant`s counsel submitted that another accused in the case, Rizwan Qureshi, had been given bail and requested the court to also grant his client bail.

Over 250 worl(ers were burnt alive in a devastating fire that engulfed a multistorey garment factory building in Baldia Town in September 2012.