Nawaz Sharif's ECL case: Federal government submits reply in LHC
Last updated on: 15 November,2019 04:58 pm
Nawaz Sharif's ECL case: Federal government submits reply in LHC.
LAHORE (Dunya News) – The federal government has on Friday submitted its reply in the Lahore High Court (LHC) in case pertaining to name removal of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from the Exit Control List (ECL).
Justice Ali Baqir Najfi and Justice Sardar Naeem conducted the hearing on the plea filed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif to remove elder brother and party supremo Nawaz Sharif’s name from the ECL without any conditionality imposed by the federal government.
Advocate Amjad Pervaiz took the stance that the interior ministry has not removed Nawaz Sharif’s name from the no-fly list despite his bail approval by the LHC on medical grounds.
The LHC inquired from Nawaz Sharif’s counsel whether the federal government had submitted its reply, to which advocate Amjad Pervaiz replied that the response has been submitted.
The court directed to issue a copy of the reply to the plaintiff’s lawyer and offered to grant time to read the answer if required.
It is pertinent here to mention that the answer submitted by the federal government comprises nine pages and states that the government holds the authority to impose condition according to the law.
It was further added that the Lahore High Court does not have jurisdiction to hear the petition as Nawaz Sharif’s sentence was suspended by the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The hearing was adjourned till 03:30 PM.
Earlier, PML-N’s legal team had prepared an application pleading with the court to order removal of Sharif’s name from the ECL without any conditionality, including submission of surety bonds and only one-time stay abroad for four weeks on medical grounds.
The federal government, the interior ministry and others were named as respondents in the application. Sources told the media that advocate Amjad Pervez filed the application in the court on behalf of PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif.
It recalled that Sharif, despite of being convicted, left his ailing wife [in the UK] and returned back to Pakistan with his daughter. It stated that there is no prohibition in removing the name from the ECL in the light of the bail granted to Sharif.
The application pointed out to previous courts’ rulings that names of convicted persons, who entered plea bargain agreements, were removed from the ECL.