Pakistan HC in London receives arrest warrants of Nawaz Sharif: FO

ISLAMABAD: The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Pakistan High Commission in London received the arrest warrants of former premier Nawaz Sharif, ARY News reported on Friday.

The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri confirmed that Nawaz Sharif’s arrest warrants issued by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had been received by the foreign ministry yesterday.

The arrest warrants have been sent immediately to Pakistan High Commission in London and directed the commission for sending a report after implementing the court orders, added Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri.

Read: IHC rejects exemption plea of Nawaz Sharif, issues arrest warrants

Earlier on Thursday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Registrar Office had started implementing the orders and issued notice to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for taking steps to arrest former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had released the arrest warrants of Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia and Avenfield cases and also sent its copy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for assisting the relevant authorities to arrest the former premier who is currently residing in London.

The high court had directed concerned authorities to produce Sharif on September 22 during the next hearing. Separate notices had been served to the Foreign Office by IHC Registrar Office for contacting the British High Commission to implement the court orders regarding the arrest of Nawaz Sharif.

Read: Toshakhana reference: NAB court declares Nawaz Sharif ‘proclaimed offender’

It is noteworthy to mention here that the exemption plea of the former premier Nawaz and released his non-bailable arrest warrants in Al-Azizia and Avenfield cases had been rejected by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on September 15.

An accountability court in Islamabad had also declared Nawaz ‘proclaimed offender’ on September 9 in Toshakhana reference besides indicting four accused persons including former president Asif Ali Zardari and former premier Yousaf Raza Gillani.