FIA Bars Shehbaz Sharif From Leaving Country Despite Court Orders

The Sources say that FIA staff stopped Shehbaz Sharif from immigration counter at Allama Iqbal International airport and informed him that his name was still on black list in their record.

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-June 8th, 2021) Shehbaz Sharif has been barred from leaving to Doha despite court orders.

The Federal Investigation Agency staff has stopped Shehbaz Sharif from flying abroad, saying that his name is still black list.

On Friday, LHC has given permission to Shehbaz Sharif for once to fly abroad for his treatment in London.

The PML President was scheduled to depart for Doha from Lahore where he was expected to say for two to three days. From Doha, the PML-N leader was due to leave for London.

According to the sources, preparation were underway on emergency basis for Shehbaz Sharif’s departure abroad where he will undergo medical check-up by his doctor in London on May 22.

He is going to London at the moment when Pakistan is on UK’s “red-list” countries where the travelers are not allowed entry due Coronavirus variant.

LHC judge Justice Ali Baqir Najfi allowed petition of Shehbaz Sharif who is also Opposition Leader in National Assembly seeking travel abroad for medical treatment. The court ordered to remove his name from Exit Control List (ECL).

“Shehbaz Sharif is allowed one-time visit to United Kingdom from May 8 to July 5 for medical check-up,” the judge observed in an opened court.

The court also sought reply from the respondents.

Advocate Amjad Pervaiz had appeared before the court and argued that Shehbaz Sharif was arrested in connection with Ashiana and Ramzan Sugar Mills cases in 2018 but he got bail in February 2019. He said his name was still on Exit Control List (ECL) and it was removed on direction of the LHC.

He stated that Shahbaz Sharif was scheduled to visit consultant in connection with his treatment in London but his name had been put on the blacklist.

He contended that step of putting his client’s name on the blacklist was illegal as he had not been served any notice. At this, the court questioned a deputy attorney general whether name of Shahbaz Sharif had been put on blacklist.

On which Shehbaz Sharif that he could not assist the court without taking instructions from the concerned quarters. The court directed the law officer for taking instructions from concerned quarters and adjourned hearing for short time.

The Ministry of Interior, federation and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) were named as respondents in the plea.

It may be mentioned here that Shehbaz Sharif had moved a petition in LHC, submitting that he was a cancer survivor and needs to go abroad for treatment, but the federal government had put his name on the blacklist.