LAHORE: Additional Attorney General Ishtiaq A Khan argued before the Lahore High Court on Wednesday that PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz apparently left with no plausible reason to visit former primer minister Nawaz Sharif in London since the federal government had already initiated process to bring her father back.

However, Ms Nawaz’s counsel Amjad Pervez rejected the stance of the government saying his client had a right to visit her ailing father abroad.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh was hearing a petition by Ms Nawaz seeking a one-time permission to visit London to inquire after Mr Sharif.

At the outset of the hearing, Addi-AG Khan explained to the bench that Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Jawed Khan could not make his appearance due to his unavoidable engagement before Supreme Court in Islamabad.

Law officer tells LHC efforts on to bring her father back

On last hearing, the bench had decided to hear point of view of the attorney general on points involved in the petition. The hearing was fixed for March 11 after the bench was informed about the availability of the top law officer.

“Should we consider that the attorney general does not want to appear in this case,” the bench asked Addi-AG Khan.

The law officer requested the court to allow a one-time adjournment to the AGP.

The bench allowed the request but observed that it will not wait for the AGP to decide the matter.

Coming back to the case, Justice Naqvi asked the petitioner’s counsel what kind of freedom of movement a convict enjoyed under Article 15 of the Constitution. The judge noted that the bench would also require assistance on laws from international jurisdiction.

Advocate Pervez said meeting father for a daughter amounted to perform Umrah. He said his arguments would also cover the rights of a daughter in light of Islam and Hadith.

Addi-AG Khan asked the bench to consolidate the matter of Mr Sharif and Ms Nawaz as both involved common questions of law. However, the petitioner’s counsel argued that both cases needed to be heard separately.

The bench observed that it will decide this point on next hearing.

It also asked the petitioner’s counsel whether he wanted to continue with same petition since the government was taking some steps for extradition of Mr Sharif.

The counsel pointed out that the court while permitting Mr Sharif to go abroad for medical treatment had observed that his return would depend on the advice of the doctors. He said the case of Ms Nawaz was entirely different from the one of Mr Sharif. He said allowing any convict to visit abroad was the jurisdiction of the courts.

The bench adjourned further hearing till March 24. Maryam Nawaz was granted post-arrest bail by the high court in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case with a condition of surrendering her passport.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2020