The order came after Nawaz Sharif reportedly refused to receive arrest warrants in London. (File)
Islamabad:
A Pakistani court ordered former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to appear before November 24 to avoid being declared a proclaimed offender after he allegedly refused to receive non-dischargeable arrest warrants at his home in London, according to a report.
The clerk of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) today issued a written order regarding Nawaz Sharif’s appeal proceedings in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield transplant cases, the Dawn News reported.
On October 7, the court recorded the statements of Dildar Ali Abro, First Secretary (Consular Affairs), and Rao Abdul Hannan, Consular Attaché ;, of the Pakistan High Commission, London, as well as Mohammad Mubashir Khan, Director for Europe-I, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
They told the court that efforts were made in accordance with court orders to serve ineligible arrest warrants on Sharif in order to ensure his presence in court.
Despite the efforts, this arrest warrant, issued by the High Court in Islamabad on September 15, could not be carried out, they said.
According to the report, upset by the attitude of Nawaz Sharif’s representatives at his London residence, the High Court ordered on October 7 that advertisements be published in the newspapers to summon him. The court ordered the federal government to bear the cost of advertisements in the Dawn and Jang newspapers.
The government later told the court that 60,000 rupees had been paid for advertising in the nominated newspapers.
The court asked Nawaz Sharif to appear before November 24, failing which he would be named as the alleged perpetrator. The proclamation may result in the confiscation of his property as well as his passport.
Nawaz Sharif has been living in London since November last year after being allowed by the courts and the government to travel there for an eight week period for medical treatment. But he did not return, as his lawyers told the court he was still recovering.
However, he gave a scathing speech on September 20, accusing the armed forces of meddling in politics.
After the speech, pressure mounts on Sharif to come back and face corruption cases against him.
