LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday restrained the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from taking coercive measures against Nusrat Shehbaz, wife of Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, and also sought its reply on her petition challenging non-bailable arrest warrants by an accountability court in the money-laundering and illegal assets reference.

A counsel on behalf of the petitioner argued that she was an old and infirm woman above 66 years and had to go abroad during early 2019 for the treatment of her many chronic illnesses. He said the petitioner was already out of the country when the NAB started to issue call-up notices to her.

A NAB counsel opposed the petition and said the petitioner was in the country when the investigation was initiated against her.

Answering a court’s query, he said the charges had been framed in the reference, however, statement of the petitioner was yet to be recorded.

The petitioner’s counsel said it was not necessary for an accused to be present in court for the indictment.

The two-judge bench headed by Justice Sarfraz Ahmad Dogar directed the NAB to submit a written reply to the petition by Feb 8 and also restrained it from taking coercive measures against the petitioner.

Ms Shehbaz who at present is living in London, filed her petition through PML-N deputy secretary general Attaullah Tarar as a special attorney. She asked the LHC to set aside the impugned order of the trial court regarding denial of exemption from personal appearance and the issuance of her non-bailable arrest warrants for being illegal.

MEDICAL BOARD: An accountability court on Wednesday allowed an application of Shehbaz Sharif who is facing trial in a money-laundering reference, and directed the jail authorities to also include his personal physicians in a medical board to be formed for the examination of his health.

Presiding Judge Jawadul Hassan announced his verdict on the application filed by Shehbaz. The judge also adjourned hearing of the reference till Jan 26 after a prosecution witness recorded his statement.

The witness, namely Bilal Zameer, an official of the FBR, also submitted tax details of the family members of Shehbaz.

The jail officials brought Shehbaz and his son Hamza to the court for the hearing.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2021