LAHORE: The Lahore High Court directed its registrar on Tuesday to serve notices on over two dozen politicians, including present and former rulers, their family members, a property tycoon and a rights activist through proclamation in newspaper for submitting replies to a petition seeking a court order for them to bring their foreign assets back to Pakistan.

The respondents include Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his wife Kulsoom Nawaz and son Hussain Nawaz, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his ex-wife Jemima, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his wife, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, former president Asif Ali Zardari, property tycoon Malik Riaz Husain of Bahria Town, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ijazul Haq, Humayun Akhtar Khan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Faisal Saleh Hayat, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Pervaiz Elahi, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Ghulam Mustafa Khar, Rehman Malik, Fazlur Rehman, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf, PPP Senator Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan and his wife Bushra Aitzaz and rights activist Asma Jehangir.

The petition was filed in 1996 by Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree who later amended it and included names of more politicians.

During the hearing, Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan was informed that notices had been issued to Malik Riaz through his administration officer and to Humayun Khan through his legal officer, but they refused to accept these, saying they were no concerned with the case.

Notices were also issued to Shahbaz Sharif and Mr Gilani — the latter through his secretary.

Chaudhry Shujaat refused to accept the notice, but he was served through affixation.

Nawaz Sharif, his wife and son refused to accept the notices through their employees.

The notice issued to Shah Mehmood Qureshi returned un-served because he was not available at the address given.

Justice Khalid Mahmood directed the registrar office to delete the name of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto from the list of politicians in the petition.

The judge observed that the petition was of public interest and, therefore, it was appropriate that the notices be served on respondents through proclamation in newspaper with a direction to file replies on or before the next date of hearing. The notices should be issued to the respondents in their personal capacity without mentioning their offices through public notice in Dawn newspaper.

The petitioner alleged that the respondents had transferred at least $300,000 million to foreign countries through money-laundering, causing huge losses to the national exchequer. They have also failed to submit affidavits despite repeated court orders.

Barrister Jafree said Pakistan would have been able to return all foreign loans had the assets and money of the politicians been brought back to the country.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2014