Islamabad HC rejects plea against issuing diplomatic passport to ex- Pak PM Nawaz Sharif

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday dismissed a plea against issuing a diplomatic passport to former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The Islamabad High Court has dismissed a petition seeking to prevent the expected issuance of a diplomatic passport to former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, reported local media.

On April 15, advocate Naeem Haider Panjutha filed a petition in the IHC, citing media reports that said Nawaz was being issued a diplomatic passport on the orders of newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also his sibling.

The petitioner claimed that the interior and foreign affairs secretaries were given orders for issuance of the diplomatic passport.

The petitioner contended that as Nawaz "is a court absconder who was convicted by a learned NAB (National Accountability Bureau) Court for corruption ... it is a violation of the law, a mockery of the justice system, and a disgrace to the nation if a diplomatic passport is issued to a convict".

The court noted in its order today that the petitioner was unable to produce any order, direction, or notification issued by the federal government to substantiate his claim.

"It is noted that no evidentiary value was attached to the press reports and no reliance can be placed on it when a person claims a legal right on its basis. It was settled law that courts will not decide cases on the basis of press reports,” Samaa TV quoted Chief Justice Athar Minallah as saying.

The court dismissed the petition and fined the petitioner Rs 5,000 for using state-funded counsel during the hearing.