Another judge refuses to hear Chaudhrys' pleas.

LAHORE -- Another judge of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday recused himself, for personal reasons, from petitions filed by PML-Q leaders - Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi - against the actions of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan had referred the petitions to a two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Asjad Javed Ghural after a judge of a division bench recused himself from the matter.

The legal team of the petitioners had pointed out that Justice Farooq Haider, a member of the initial bench, had been a counsel of the Chaudhry brothers in a number of cases before his elevation. It was argued that it would not be appropriate for the judge to hear the petitions. Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem headed the bench.

However, Justice Haider as well refused to hear the petitions and the bench sent the files to the chief justice.

On Tuesday, the subsequent bench was supposed to take up the petitions, however, hearing could not be held due to the recusal by Justice Ghural.

A bar member told Dawn that Justice Ghural was also likely to recuse himself from the case since...