Justice Ijaz-ur-Ahsan who was heading two-member bench of the Supreme Court asked very tough questions to LHC registrar during proceeding of the case.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-June 2nd, 2021) The Federal government on Wednesday withdrew its appeal from the Supreme Court challenging verdict of the Lahore High court allowing PML-N President and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif to fly abroad.
A SC two-member bench led by Justice Ijazul Ahsan was hearing the matter.
As the proceedings commence, the LHC's registrar presented the record of the case before the bench, saying that the case was heard in one day after reservations pertaining to Sharif leaving the country were turned down.
At this, Justice Ahsan asked the registrar, “Was Shahbaz Sharif's case heard as per the usual system or through a special process?,”.
On it, the registrar replied that the high court decided to hear the government's reservations and Sharif's petition the same day.
The registrar also explained that on Friday, 9:30am, the reservations were raised and proceedings into the case began at 11:00am the same day.
At this, Justice Ahsan remarked that the government's attorney was given only 30 minutes time to seek instructions from the relevant authorities. “How many hearings were held, in the past one year, on Fridays at 12:00pm?” the judge further asked.
He observed that the LHC had not even inquired as to which list Sharif's name was included to.
The judge also asked that in how many cases was one-sided relief provided.
However, the government decided to withdraw its appeal challenging the LHC’s decision. The counsel of Shehbaz Sharif assured the top court that he would not pursue contempt of court proceedings against institutions for not letting him go abroad.
The top court observed: “The manner in which Shahbaz Sharif was provided relief in this case can not become a precedent,”.
“How can the movement of a suspect in an ongoing criminal case be restricted?" asked Justice Sajjad Ali Shah. He also observed that the government's position had been heard by the LHC.
The top law officer of the country informed the court that the government did not make any accusations in its appeal against LHC verdict except the that the LHC’s decision would set a precedence for future cases as well.
The PML-N President was barred at the Lahore’s airport before boarding a Qatar-bound flight after LHC gave him one-time permission to fly abroad for medical treatment.
