Notices issued to Nawaz, Cyril over controversial interview

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday issued fresh notices to Nawaz Sharif and journalist Cyril Almeida as they failed to appear before a three-member full bench in connection with a petition related to a controversial interview given by the PML-N supremo.

The petition is seeking action against Nawaz, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Cyril for trying to defame state institutions and not honouring his oath of office by disclosing the minutes of National Security Council’s meeting to the party leader.

As Abbasi appeared before the bench, he said he had not received a notice from the court, but he appeared on his own after knowing about the court’s direction through media reports as he was due to visit the high court for his petition against the decision of the appellate tribunal.

Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, who headed the full bench, praised him for attending the proceedings despite receiving no formal notice.

The former prime minister requested the bench to adjourn the hearing of the case for a date after the July 25 general elections, which the judge allowed and deferred hearing till September 10.

A citizen Amina Malik had filed a petition, alleged that Nawaz on May 11, 2018 during his interview to an English newspaper gave a statement that “those who attacked at a hotel in Mumbai were actually belonged to Pakistan”.

The petitioner said a meeting of the National Security Council held to discuss the ‘misleading’ media statement of the disqualified prime minister and after the meeting then prime minister Abbasi met Nawaz and conveyed to him the concerns of the military leadership and minutes of the meeting.

She said Abbasi’s act was a clear violation of his oath as he was bound not to allow his personal interest to influence his official conduct. She pleaded that the disqualified premier committed sedition by rejecting the statement of the National Security of Council and was liable for an action as directed in Constitution as well as in Pakistan Penal Code.

Later, Abbasi, talking to media persons, said he had total regard for the courts and would appear before them whenever summoned. He said the election process should remain undisputed for the progression of democracy, adding that the nomination papers of candidates were nowhere in world rejected on technical grounds.

To a query about PML-N’s position in Punjab, Abbasi said Punjab was the home of his party and would win all seats from the province.

About the NAB references, he said it was very appalling that Nawaz was being tried in a case where he was never nominated. He lamented that the PML-N supremo had to appear before the accountability court on over a hundred hearings. Abbasi said he had no hope of justice for Nawaz from the accountability court.

The former prime minister said he never disclosed minutes of the National Security Council’s meeting to anyone and had always respected his oath.

“I’m a responsible person and I never violated his oath,” said Abbasi, adding, “I never shared minutes of the National Security’s meeting with anyone”.

He said he respected courts and would appear before the courts whenever he was required. The process of election should not be controversial because it paves the way for democracy. He questioned the rejection of nomination papers on technical grounds, saying that the papers are not rejected on such grounds anywhere in the world.

Abbasi, who was accompanied by another senior party leader Ahsan Iqbal, said July 25 was the day when the whole nation would give its decision.

Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan came down hard on PTI Chairman Imran Khan calling him “naïve” and “inexperienced”. “Imran took two times U-turn in the matter of caretaker CM,” he added.

He said the entire nation had been running the election campaign of PML-N. “Corrupt are Sadiq (truthful) and Ameen (trustworthy), while those who served the nation are appearing before the courts,” Ahsan said.

He said the Election Day would expose the strength of Imran. It was first time that a former prime minister and former interior minister had appeared before the court at the same time, he added.