Shehbaz Sharif allowed to travel abroad

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif, who was allowed to travel abroad for his treatment yesterday, was offloaded from a Qatar-bound flight at the Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore.

On Early Saturday hours, Shehbaz Sharif was stopped at the airport by the FIA immigration officers due to his name still being on the agency’s blacklist.

According to sources, the flight was scheduled to take off at 4:50 am. The PML-N leader was issued a boarding pass with his luggage scanned but was stopped from boarding the plane, added sources.

On Friday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) announced the reserved verdict on Sharif’s plea seeking exclusion of his name from the blacklist. However, he was allowed to fly abroad.

As per the orders of the court, the PML-N President is bound to return to Pakistan after 8 weeks.

The court also issued notice to the federal government and sought a detailed report and response in the next hearing.

Justice Ali Baqir Najafi while heard the plea of Opposition Leader in Assembly Shehbaz Sharif.

On the other hand, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that allowing Shehbaz Sharif who is involved in money laundering of billions of rupees to fly abroad is a mockery of the law.

The minister took to Twitter and wrote that the PTI government will take all legal steps against the decision. The Prime Minister has pointed out the weaknesses of our justice system many times but the opposition is not ready for reforms and the main reason is that their interests are attached to this rotten system.

While sharing the document he further wrote, “Shehbaz Sharif had submitted this guarantee in court to get Nawaz Sharif out of the country, now instead of giving notice to Shahbaz Sharif for giving fake guarantee, Nawaz Sharif is being called back, Shahbaz Sharif himself is allowed to go abroad.

Earlier on Thursday, during the hearing of the petition, Sharif told the court that he needs to travel abroad for medical treatment, therefore his name should be removed from the list.

He further told the court that he had travelled abroad for treatment purposes in the past as well and came back to Pakistan.

He stated that he has served as the provincial chief minister thrice and is not a terrorist so why his name was included in the blacklist.

The PML-N leader had moved a writ petition in the LHC, stating that he was granted bail in the Ashiana-e-Iqbal and Ramzan Sugar Mills references, after which he went abroad and flew back after four months.

He stated that after his return, the federal government added his name to the blacklist without any reason.

Read more