ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) said that the constitution prohibits the court to issue directives to the speaker, in its order on Khursheed shah’s production plea. The Chief Justice of IHC Athar Minallah while disposing the plea said that article 69 of the constitution prohibits the missing order to the National Assembly Speaker. According to the court any interference would be seen as disrespect to the parliament. “The court hopes that the Speaker will himself look into the matter.” The leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in his petition sought the court’s instruction for his production order. In his petition he made the secretaries of interior and law ministries along with the NA Speaker the respondents. The NA member and former leader of the opposition said in his petition that the budget debate has been ongoing in the lower house for the last 12 days. He urged the high court to issue an order to the respondents for his production order to attend the parliament session. The National Accountability Bureau has filed an accountability reference against Shah and 17 other accused for 1.23 billion rupees. The PPP leader was arrested by NAB’s Sukkur chapter in September 2019 and has spent 21 months in detention.