In a major development just two days before the Supreme Court takes up review petitions against the Faizabad sit-in case, the Intelligence Bureau has decided to withdraw its review petition in the case.

IB’s Director General Fuad Asadullah Khan issued a letter of authorisation on Tuesday for the review petition to be withdrawn.

The petitions were to be taken up by a three-member bench led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa on September 28. The bench also includes Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Athar Minallah.

The bureau’s review petition is one of eight petitions filed against the verdict which was written by the now Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa. The judgement had instructed the defence ministry and chiefs of the army, navy and air force to penalise personnel under their command who were found to have violated their oath.

Other petitioners include the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Ministry of Defence, Intelligence Bureau, Election Commission of Pakistan, Pakistan Elec­tronic Media Regulatory Authority, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the-then Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and politician Ejazul Haq.

Separately, Shiekh Rasheed’s counsel appealed to the court that the matter should be put off from Septemer 28.

The lawyer, Amanullah Khan, has told the court that he is now a member of the caretaker cabinet in Balochistan as law minister and can no longer represent Rasheed.

He also said that he has been unable to reach his client to discuss the matter. Rasheed has not been seen or heard from since his arrest on September 17.