The Islamabad High Court restored the National Bank of Pakistan’s President, Arif Usmani and Board of Directors Chairman Zubair Soomro to their positions on Thursday after earlier removal.

A division bench of the IHC headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Aamer Farooq took up the appeals of the NBP and finance ministry that challenged an earlier single-bench order. The IHC's Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani ordered the removal of Usmani and Soomro from their positions just 10 days ago.

Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan represented the finance ministry while senior lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan appeared on behalf of the Arif Usmani. AG Khan contested the decision of the single-member bench. He stated that the law does not make it mandatory to publish an advertisement for the vacant post of the NBP president and that Usmani should be allowed to resume office until the appeals are adjudicated.

The division bench suspended the decision made by the single bench and issued notices to the petitioners. The petition had been submitted with the claim that the appointments were made in violation of the guidelines of the Public Sector (Appointment of Chief Executive) Guidelines 2015. The petitioners also stated that the appointments violated constitutional rights that grant every citizen equal opportunity. They claimed that because Usmani has a degree in Physics, which is unrelated to his position at the bank, he does not meet the educational criteria decided for the position. The petition highlighted that Transparency International has pointed out corruption in the NBP as well.

Earlier in June, the court had responded to the petition by stating that if a degree has no connection with a field, a judge can also become a bank head.