Daily Times

The Pakistan High Commission in London has received a non-bailable arrest warrant for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from the Islamabad High Court.

According to sources, the staff of the High Commission will deliver the warrant to Nawaz Sharif. The Foreign Office has been ordered to execute the warrant through the UK High Commission.

The arrest warrant issued by the Islamabad High Court for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was sent to the Foreign Secretary yesterday. The warrants were sent to the Foreign Secretary by the Registrar’s Office of the Islamabad High Court.

The sources added that all legal formalities and procedures would be followed in this regard.

The assistant registrar of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed the foreign secretary to ensure production of the former prime minister before the court on September 22.

In 2017, the high commission received bailable arrest warrants for Hasan, Hussain, Maryam Nawaz and Captain Mohammad Safdar in NAB cases.

The IHC earlier this week had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Mr Sharif while dismissing his application seeking exemption from personal appearance in the hearing of appeals against his conviction in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield properties references.

It may be recalled that a few days back in the Azizia reference, the Islamabad High Court had rejected Nawaz Sharif’s pleas and issued non-bailable warrants.

On Nawaz Sharif’s appeal against the sentence in the Azizia reference in the Islamabad High Court, the court had asked lawyer Khawaja Harris whether Nawaz Sharif’s appeal could be heard in public.

Islamabad High Court Judge Justice Amir Farooq had said that if the appeal for Nawaz Sharif’s absence could be heard, then the NAB would also be heard. Justice Amir Farooq had asked why the petition was filed in the court. Now it remains to be seen whether Nawaz Sharif’s request can be heard or not.