LAHORE: Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Accountability Shahzad Akbar has asserted that the federal government was utilizing all the available legal options to bring back former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Addressing a press conference along with provincial minister Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan and PM’s aide Shahbaz Gill, Shahzad Akbar claimed that PML-N supremo was a convict and the United Kingdom’s government had been informed about him being an absconder.
Shahzad Akbar further said that Nawaz Sharif had left the country for treatment on certain conditions and that none of these had been fulfilled. “He was permitted to get medical treatment from abroad subject to returning within the specific time period,” he added.
“Secondly, he was instructed to submit periodical medical reports and updates to the court and the government. However, no such reports were submitted to the court or the provincial government,” he remarked.
The special assistant highlighted that Islamabad High Court granted bail to PML-N supremo on October 29, 2019 for eight weeks on medical grounds in the Al Azizia case.
“The bail was provided on the condition that after eight weeks, in case he does not recover, the Punjab government will take up the matter under CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) and conduct a proper hearing,” Akbar informed.
“Later, Shehbaz Sharif filed an undertaking in Lahore High Court on November 16 that Nawaz will return to Pakistan after the required medical procedures,” he said.
He informed that the PML-N supremo filed an application on December 23, after the eight-week bail had expired, for an extension in his bail. “However, the constituted medical board recommended that he should not be given an extension because they were not satisfied with the reports,” he added.
The special assistant said that the Punjab home department issued a notification rejecting the extension in bail. The order has also been sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the direction that a letter be sent to the British government.
He also pointed out that the Islamabad High Court declared Nawaz an absconder on August 18 as his bail had expired. “In this regard, we have decided to take matters forward with the help of NAB,” he added.
He said that Nawaz’s guarantor Shehbaz Sharif would also question in this regard. “Double standards won’t be followed now. It is a slap on the face of accountability,” he added.
Commenting on the NRO++, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would not even give the “N” of “NRO plus plus” to the opposition.
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