'Sir title': Govt requests LHC to dismiss petition against Nawaz

LAHORE: The federal government on Friday requested the Lahore High Court (LHC) to dismiss a petition seeking to stop former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from using the title of “Sir” given to him by the British Queen.

A single bench comprising Justice Mamoonur Rasheed was hearing a petition filed by Javed Iqbal Jafree.

A federal law officer stated before the bench that the British Queen had given the former prime minister the title of “Sir” after consultation with the President of Pakistan.

He contended that the petitioner approached the court against Mr Sharif over the award of the title after a period of 17 years. “The petition is non-maintainable and therefore, liable to be dismissed,” he added.

Towards the end of the hearing, the bench directed the state counsel to come up the procedure for the award of such title and adjourned the hearing till the first week of July.

The petitioner had earlier stated that the British Queen had given the title of Sir to the former premier on the golden jubilee of Pakistan in 1997. Mr Sharif could not use this title as he had not sought parliament’s nod before accepting it, he added.

He, therefore, pleaded with the bench that the former premier be stopped from using this title.