LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for journalist Cyril Almeida in the high treason case directing him to appear before the court in the next hearing (October 8).
A three-member bench headed by Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi resumed hearing on the petition seeking action against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for allegedly trying to defame state institutions in an interview to Cyril. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is also nominated in the case for allegedly disclosing the minutes of a National Security Council (NSC) meeting.
The warrants for the journalist were issued following his repeated failure to appear before the court in the previous hearings.
Commenting on the development, Cyril Almeida took on twitter to say:
https://twitter.com/cyalm/status/1044213437335818241
During today’s hearing, Cyril’s lawyer asked the judges to issue bailable arrest warrants instead of non-bailable arrest warrants, adding that he is sure the journalist would appear in court in the next hearing.
The judge asked the lawyer if he could guarantee Cyril would appear in the next hearing without a doubt, to which he said he can not provide such a guarantee.
Subsequently, the bench directed the authorities to put journalist’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL) and issued non-bailable arrest warrants for him ordering him to appear before the court on October 8.
Moreover, Nawaz Sharif, who was also absent from the hearing today, was been summoned in the case.