Shafaqna Pakistan:The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday instructed former premier Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shehbaz Sharif to submit a written undertaking in regards to the PML-N supremo’s travel abroad for medical treatment and his subsequent return to the country.
The PML-N’s legal team, following the court’s instructions, submitted a two-page draft of the undertaking.
The undertaking stated that Nawaz will return to the country as soon as doctors abroad permit. The document further added that the former premier was leaving the country on the recommendations of local doctors.
However, Additional Attorney General (AAG) Chaudhry Ishtiaq A Khan rejected the undertaking saying “it is devoid of any assurance of Nawaz’s return”.
The court had resumed hearing a petition filed by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif challenging government’s condition for his ailing brother Nawaz to furnish a multibillion-rupee indemnity bond to secure removal of his name from the no-fly list.
A two-member bench of the LHC, comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najfi and Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem, is hearing the case.
Shehbaz Sharif is also present in the court with other party members and his legal team.
The court had admitted the petition for hearing on Friday observing that it had the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
“Can conditions be imposed to remove a name from the ECL? Was the memorandum issued on humanitarian grounds? Can the petitioner find any other way to pay? Is the government willing to review its decision or not?” asked the court today at the start of the hearing.
The AAG during the hearing maintained, “The government has no issue if Nawaz Sharif wants to travel abroad for his treatment but he has to satisfy the court first.”
Nawaz Sharif has the option of submitting the indemnity or surety bond money in the account of the court. If he does all this, then we have no issue with his leaving the country,” he added.
On behalf of the government, the AAG also asked the PML-N to submit the indemnity bond sum in the LHC.
The LHC asked Shehbaz, “Will Nawaz return to Pakistan?” The PML-N president replied, “He will be back to Pakistan.”
“What role you will play in this regard,” Asked the court again. “I am going with him. Nawaz will be back in the country after treatment,” claimed Shehbaz.