Shahbaz’s travel abroad: Govt withdraws plea against LHC’s order

Ag INP

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday withdrew its petition from the Supreme Court against the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) decision allowing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif to leave abroad.

The LHC had granted “one-time” permission to former Punjab chief minister to go abroad on medical grounds, after which the government moved the Supreme Court to have the decision declared null and void.

A two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan, presided over the hearing. When the proceedings resumed, the LHC’s registrar presented the record of the case before the bench, informing the court that the case was heard in one day after the reservations pertaining to Shahbaz leaving the country were dismissed.

“Was Shahbaz Sharif’s case heard as per the usual system or through a special process?” asked Justice Ahsan. The registrar replied the high court decided hearing the government’s reservations and Sharif’s petition the same day.

“On Friday at 9:30am, the reservations were raised and proceedings into the case began at 11:00am the same day,” explained the registrar.

Justice Ahsan remarked that the government’s attorney wasgiven only 30 minutes to seek instructions. “How many hearings were held, in the past one year, on Fridays at 12:00 noon?” asked the judge.

The judge remarked that the LHC had not even inquired as to in which list Sharif’s name had been included. “In how many other cases was one-sided relief provided?” he asked. “The manner in which Shahbaz Sharif was provided relief in this case cannot become a precedent,” opined the court.

“How can the movement of a suspect in an ongoing criminal case be restricted?” asked Justice Sajjad Ali Shah. He added the government’s position had been heard by the LHC.

The attorney general informed the court that the government had not made any accusations in its appeal against the LHC’s verdict. He expressed concern that the LHC’s decision would set precedence for future cases as well.

During the hearing, the attorney general told the apex court that Shahbaz had also withdrawn his plea from the LHC, to which Justice Ahsan remarked it meant that the matter was over now.

After the LHC verdict was announced last month, the PML-N president went to the airport to travel abroad but was not allowed to board the plane by immigration authorities.

Meanwhile, Adviser to Prime Minister for Interior and Accountability Shahzad Akbar clarified on Wednesday that the name of the opposition leader in the National Assembly was on Exit Control List (ECL) and he could not travel abroad.

Talking to a news channel, he said the issue regarding Shahbaz’s name on blacklist had become irrelevant and now the PML-N president had to request the federal cabinet to remove his name from the ECL if he wanted to travel abroad.