The IHC said it could not entertain any petition concerning a matter pending with any other High Court.
By Naveed Naqvi
ISLAMABAD: A contempt of court petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif brothers withdrawn Monday after the court raised objections as to its maintainability.
The petitioner, lawyer Syed Zafar Ali Shah, had prayed in the petition that that Nawaz Sharif went abroad with the permission of the Lahore High Court (LHC) due to illness and Shehbaz Sharif submitted an affidavit that his elder brother would return after recovery.
He had argued that since Nawaz Sharif has not returned to date, contempt of court proceedings are in order against the Sharif brothers. He had also made a case for Nawaz Sharif to be declared a proclaimed offender by various courts.
Finally, he had requested the court to order Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan immediately and face the courts.
On Monday, the case was heard by Chief Justice IHC Justice Athar Minallah. Petitioner Zafar Ali Shah Advocate appeared in the court and gave arguments on the application.
Justice Minallah noted that the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) interim order to send Nawaz Sharif abroad was not challenged by the federal government in the Supreme Court, which meant it had accepted that decision.
“You want to say that there was no court order to remove Mian Nawaz Sharif’s name from ECL, even though his appeals were pending in the Lahore High Court”, Justice Minallah said. “Can the Islamabad High Court hear a petition pending in the Lahore High Court?”
The judge declared that the IHC could not entertain any petition pending in any other High Court, and asked the petitioner, “Will you withdraw the request or shall we pass the order on it?”
The petitioner said he would withdraw the application. He said would now approach the Lahore High Court with the same prayers.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
