ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed petition of a former assistant director of FIA seeking return of passport on the basis of relief granted under the NRO and directed to club the case with other such cases to be heard at a time. On Tuesday, a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had issued notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to explain why it was not returning passport and surety bond to FIAs former official Agha Ishrat Ali after been acquitted by the Accountability Court, Karachi. Alis counsel Raja Abdur Rehman had requested the court to direct the NAB to return passport and surety bond of his client as, he had said, the Accountability Court, Karachi, had acquitted his client. On Wednesday, however, Prosecutor General of NAB Dr Danishwar Malik submitted before the court that the said court had not acquitted the petitioner but had terminated the proceedings of the case only. The Chief Justice then directed for clubbing the case along with other cases in which relief had been granted under the NRO so that these might be heard at a time. A number of petitions are also pending before the apex court against the very constitutionality of the NRO, which, too, could be heard along with these cases, legal experts opine. The NAB had filed reference against FIAs official for living beyond his means and purchasing pricey plots for his relatives. However, he had filed an appeal in the Accountability Court Karachi to grant him relief under Section 7 of NRO. The court had terminated proceedings in the case against him. The same bench also heard the Islamabad Stock Exchange scandal case. During the course of the proceedings, the Chief Justice expressed utter dissatisfaction over the performance of the accountability courts. He said that the accountability courts were not disposing off cases timely. The court also expressed displeasure over performance of NAB for not completing investigation into the scandal. The court sought detail regarding those involved in the scandal by next date of hearing. The court also directed NAB to produce record of the cases in which the accused were not presented before the court.