Supreme Court of Pakistan. — Photo by AP

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday released the detailed judgment on two constitutional petitions, one of them by Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, challenging the appointment of Justice (retd) Syed Deedar Hussain Shah as chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), DawnNews reported.

The 33-page-long ruling was authored by Supreme Court judge Justice Asif Saeed Khosa.

On March 10, the apex court had ruled the appointment illegal and had ordered Justice (retd) Shah to immediately relinquish the office.

The verdict by a three-judge bench required Shah, a former judge of the Supreme Court, to immediately leave the office he assumed five months ago after another legal row in which the court had ordered the removal of his predecessor.

Justice (retd) Deedar Shah was appointed NAB chief on October 8 last year after his predecessor Nawid Ahsan was removed under a December 16, 2009, Supreme Court ruling that held the controversial National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) as unconstitutional, ordered the government to revive all cases withdrawn under the ordinance and expressed displeasure over the perceived lack of proper and honest assistance and suggested the appointment of a new chairman.