LHC disposes of Shehbaz plea against name on blacklist

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday disposed of Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif’s plea challenging the government’s move to place his name on a blacklist and seeking implementation of a court order that permitted him to travel abroad on medical grounds.

Justice Baqir Najafi disposed of the civil miscellaneous application moved by the PML-N president after he sought to withdraw it.

The court observed that any application could be withdrawn any time as per the law. The applicant could approach the relevant forum against the government’s decision to place his name on the Exit Control List (ECL), it added.

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A government counsel opposed Shehbaz’s plea, saying the court should not allow him to withdraw the application until the federal government files its reply.

Shehbaz’s lawyer Amjad Pervaiz stated that the government placed the PML-N leader’s name on the no-fly list on May 17. He said his client wanted to withdraw his application due to his name added to the ECL, he added.

On May 17, Justice Najafi had given Shehbaz one-time permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.

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However, FIA’s immigration officials at the Lahore airport barred him from boarding a flight to Qatar due to his name put on the Provincial National Identification List (PNIL).

Subsequently, Shehbaz moved the plea in the court for implementation of its May 7 order.