LAHORE: A petition by PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz for removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL) and a one-time permission to travel abroad has been fixed for hearing before a two-judge bench of the Lahore High Court as winter vacation ends on Wednesday.

The bench comprising Justice Muhammad Tariq Abbasi and Chaudhry Mushtaq Ahmad will take up the petition on Jan 15.

Before the vacation, a bench comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Anwarul Haq Pannun heard the petition of Maryam and also sought a reply from the National Accountability Bureau.

In its reply, the NAB had opposed the petition and return of passport to Ms Nawaz, which she had surrendered to the court when the post-arrest bail was granted to her in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.

The bureau argued that an appeal by Ms Nawaz against her sentence in a reference was fixed before the Islamabad High Court after the vacation for which personal appearance of the appellant was necessary.

It said the brothers of Ms Nawaz and other family members were already in London to look after former PM Nawaz Sharif. Therefore, the passport should not be returned to the petitioner nor she be permitted to travel abroad, it added.

In her petition, Ms Nawaz contended that it was a known fact that her father was allowed to go abroad on account of his critical health condition. She said her father had not regained his health so far as he was still undergoing the diagnosis process as per a medical report filed with the court after duly attested by the Pakistan High Commission in London.

The PML-N leader pleaded that she was in a dire need to go abroad to inquire after the health of her ailing father. She sought one-time permission to travel abroad.

The federal cabinet has already declined a representation of Ms Nawaz about permission to go abroad.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2020