With arrest put on hold, Nawaz to land freely on 21st.

ISLAMABAD -- The Islamabad High Court on Thursday provided protective bail to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Avenfield and Al-Azizia references till Oct 24 after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) did not oppose the petitions filed by the PML-N supreme leader ahead of his return from self-imposed exile on Saturday.

On the other hand, an Islamabad accountability court seized with the Toshakhana case, also suspended the perpetual arrest warrants issued against the ex-premier in the graft cases involving a vehicle.

After his legal team moved the high court on Wednesday, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb took up the pleas and issued notices to NAB. Deputy Prosecutor General Naeem Tariq Sanghera and special prosecutors Muhammad Rafay Maqsood and Muhammad Afzal Qureshi appeaAred before the court on Thursday.

Mr Sanghera informed the bench - echoing the stance of the special prosecutor from Wednesday - that he had been instructed by the NAB prosecutor general to state that the bureau had no objections to the grant of relief to the PML-N supremo in the instant petition.

The division bench noted that since NAB 'accorded its consent' and decided not to contest the petitions, let the petitioner appear before this court on Oct 24.

'Meanwhile, he shall not be arrested on his arrival in Pakistan until he surrenders before this court,' the bench ruled. The court observed the order was issued 'with the consent of the learned deputy prosecutor general, NAB Headquarters'.

Similarly, the accountability court was informed that the accused intended to appear before the court to face the proceedings. The counsel representing Mr Sharif said his client was abroad for medical treatment when the reference was filed. He argued that none of the accused, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and ex-premier Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, were arrested.

The lawyer argued the non-bailable perpetual warrants of arrest were issued due to the non-appearance of Mr Sharif but now the accused intended to appear before the court. He stated that Mr Sharif had not fully recovered and requested the suspension of warrants to enable his appearance before the court.

Accountability judge Bashir suspended the warrants till Oct 24. The judge, however, issued a directive that 'if he [Mr Sharif] does not appear in the court on the date cited...