IHC summons Nawaz Sharif via newspaper ads

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the hearing on the non-bailable arrest warrant for Nawaz Sharif has ruled on Wednesday that public notices be placed and newspaper advertisements be issued to summon him in the next hearing, ARY News reported.

It noted that in the hearing today that if the suspect does not turn up in the court within 30 days of ads and public notices, the court will declare him an absconder.

The hearing today was scheduled after the Pakistan High Commission in London submitted their statement in the court over the execution of non-bailable arrest warrants for former prime minister Sharif convicted in the corruption case.

The IHC adjourned its hearing and slated the next court session on the case 30 days after the ads and notices have been issued.

Court has directed the federal government to submit in the court the receipt within two days of UK newspaper ads calling upon Sharif to appear before the court.

The court said that after their publication in the newspapers, the ads shall be posted on various places. Two of the many places where the court has ordered the notices to be placed are outside Sharif’s residences in Lahore and in London.

READ: Court issues written order for forfeiture of Nawaz Sharif’s assets

The PML-N supremo was declared a proclaimed offender earlier in September and had refused to receive his arrest warrants. The arrest warrants were sent twice by-hand and once via Britain’s Royal Mail.

The court had summoned Sharif to appear before the court in a corruption case and issued his non-bailable arrest warrants the implementation of which has been deliberated over in the hearing today.

Earlier the federal government had written a letter to the UK for the deportation of the convicted former premier as well, who was allowed to go to London to receive his medical treatment last year but later was declared an absconder by courts here.