Nawaz Sharif-Shahid Khaqan-Dawn Assistant Editor to face court today
08 October, 2018
Former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Dawn Assistant Editor Cyril Almeida are appearing before a full bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday for hearing of a petition seeking treason proceedings against the two ex-PMs and journalist. Former PM Nawaz Sharif arrives at the LHC.
Security has been ramped up around LHC premises, with a contingent of Rangers and police officials deployed outside the court, and greater vigilance at the entry and exit points of the court as Sharif is expected to appear before the three-judge bench headed by Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi today. Justice Atir Mahmood and Justice Chaudhry Masood Jahangir are other members of the bench.
Former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi arrives at the LHC.
Sharif, who was recently released from jail after receiving bail in the Avenfield case, did not attend the last hearing since he was receiving condolences over the death of his wife, according to PML-N Lawyers Forum President Naseer Ahmad Bhutta, who assured the court that the ex-PM would appear today.
The bench had, in the last hearing, issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Almeida and also ordered the authorities concerned to put him on the Exit Control List for not attending the proceedings.
The newspaper editor, Zaffar Abbas, had already announced that Almeida is a law-abiding citizen and would definitely appear before the court today. Abbas is also in court today.
A civil society member, Amina Malik, had filed the petition on the basis of an interview given by Sharif to Dawn on May 11. According to the petition, the former PM spoke about cross-border militancy and the need to end it.
After the publication of the interview, the National Security Council held a meeting to deliberate on the matter. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who was prime minister at the time, called on Sharif to take him into confidence about the deliberations.
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