ISLAMABAD, Feb 20: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to two Urdu-language newspapers to explain about a news item they published, suggesting appointment of a commission by the government to probe into how the media had obtained the copy of a letter written by NAB chairman Admiral (retd) Fasih Bokhari to President Asif Ali Zardari.

“How can a commission be formed when the matter is sub judice,” observed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heading a three-judge bench.

The court was hearing a contempt case against the National Accountability Bureau chief for allegations he made in the letter that superior judiciary was influencing the bureau’s investigation into the Rental Power Projects scam.

Navid Rasul Mirza, representing the NAB chairman, expressed unawareness about the appointment of the commission.

The court said the registrar had brought to its notice that Daily Dunya and Daily Express had published reports about the appointment of a two-member judicial commission, headed by Justice (retd) Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, to probe into the letter.

When the registrar office contacted the law ministry on phone, the court said, Law Secretary Yasmeen Abbasy rejected the report and said no notification had been issued about such a commission.

The court then decided to issue notice to the printers and publishers of the two newspapers, asking them to appear in the court, reveal source of the news item and present the copy of the notification.

The court rejected a request of the NAB chairman to exempt him from appearing in the court.