Law Minister Says Shehbaz Sharif Could Face Contempt Of Court If Nawaz Didn't Return

(@fidahassanain)

Law Minister says Shehbaz Sharif could face contempt of court if Nawaz didn't return

Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem said that he was given the task of reforming legal system of the country and he was working for its betterment.

ISLAMABAD:(Urdu Point/Pakistan Point News-Nov 19th, 2019) In a reaction to Nawaz Sharif's departure to London, Federal Minister for Law Barrister Farogh Naseem on Tuesday said Shehbaz Sharif could face contempt of court if PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif didn’t return to pakistan.
Farogh said Nawaz Sharif’s sentence has only been suspended and he was bound to come back to Pakistan. He expressed these views while addressing a press conference along with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan after federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday. The law minister said that asking for indemnity bonds from the former prime minister was cabinet’s decision and the cabinet allowed Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad for four weeks.
He said, however, Leader of Opposition and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif accepted giving undertaking instead of indemnity bonds.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan had given me task of Criminal Justice System and work is underway for its betterment,” he said.

Farogh Naseem said that the indemnity bond wasn’t a surety bond, adding that the PML-N president’s lawyers were asked to submit indemnity bond or affidavit.
Earlier, PML-N Supremo and former three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif departed for London in an air ambulance here from Lahore airport.
Nawaz Sharif, who was suffering from different dieseases including the issue of platelets, was also accompanied by his brother Shehbaz Sharif and personal physician Dr Adnan Khan and others. A special air-ambulance arrived at Lahore's Haj Terminal from Doha on Tuesday early morning.

The air ambulance has the facility of an intensive care unit and an operation theatre besides a team of doctors and paramedical staff.

The doctors, according to the sources, conducted medical tests of Nawaz Sharif before his departure to London and all his medical files were handed over to the team going with him to London.

Before his departure to Lahore airport, lot of supporters and party workers gathered outside Jati Umra. The party workers and supporters followed Nawaz Sharif to airport and chanted slogans in his favor. However, Nawaz Sharif went to airport through a car instead of any ambulance and the workers showered rose petals on his car.

Nawaz Sharif has departed for London for treatment but his name exists on Exit Control List. Ata Tarar, the spokesperson of Shehbaz Sharif, said that Nawaz Sharif would arrive in London on 11 pm.

The interior ministry earlier issued a notification in compliance of the Lahore High Court order wherein former Prime Minister was given one-time permission to travel abroad for his medical treatment. In its notification, the ministry also mentioned the undertakining given by both Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shehbaz Sharif to the Lahhore High Court regarding thier return to Pakistan.

According to the sources, Nawaz Sharif was administered high doses of steroids and medicines to keep his condition stable during the journey from Lahore to London which was later confirmed by Marriyum Aurangzeb who said that the doctors examined his condition before his departure.

On departure of Nawaz Sharaif to London, the ministers and the leaders of the ruling PTI made differnet comments on departure of Nawaz Sharif. Some said he should have not been allowed to go abroad and some said that it was court order for his illness and he should go for his treatmenet. Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary said that they fed up hearing illness of Nawaz Sharif but said that he should not have allowed to travel abroad.

Fida Hussnain

Fida Hussnain is a lahore based journalist. He writes on politics, religion, social issues and climate change. He is also a research fellow at University of Gujrat.