LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Thursday recused itself from a petition of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz for the return of her passport to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

The bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Anwarul Haq Pannun observed that the petition should be heard by the same bench that had granted bail to the petitioner.

Advocate Ahsan Bhoon appeared before the bench on behalf of Ms Nawaz and stated that the petitioner wanted to perform Umrah during Ramazan.

He said the petitioner had surrendered her passport before the court when allowed post-arrest bail in a NAB case during 2019.

The bench observed that it would be appropriate that the bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi that allowed bail to the petitioner hear the instant petition for the return of her passport.

The bench sent the case file to the registrar office with a direction to fix the same before the bench of Justice Najafi.

The bench comprising Justice Najafi and Justice Farooq Haider would hear the petition of Ms Nawaz on April 25.

The bench had granted post-arrest bail to Ms Nawaz in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case on Nov 4, 2019.

However, the bench had ordered her to surrender passport to prove bona fide as the NAB feared she could flee the country.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2022