PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz has withdrawn her petition filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) for the return of her passport. She had initially filed the plea so that she could travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, and then to London.
Wednesday, a two-member bench comprising Justice Ali Baqir Najafi and Justice Sardar Ahmed Naeem heard the petition. On the occasion, Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer Amjad Pervez appeared before the court and requested to withdraw the petition. On which the court accepted the petition of Maryam Nawaz’s lawyer and disposed of the plea.
According to details, Maryam Nawaz’s lawyer said it was not possible to decide on the petition on such short notice. Therefore, Maryam Nawaz deemed it appropriate to withdraw the petition altogether.
Pertinent to mention, PM Shehbaz Sharif is set to leave for Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. 16 members of his family, along with staff, will accompany him on the trip. This included Maryam Nawaz and her husband. However, now it seems Maryam Nawaz won’t be joining her family.
Read more: PM Shehbaz taking whole family & staff on Umrah?
Judges refuse to hear Maryam’s plea?
Interestingly, Maryam Nawaz’s passport-return case has caused an issue as no less than four benches were formed to hear the petition due to judges recusing themselves one after the other.
The first bench comprised of Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Anwarul Haq Pannun. However, the bench observed that the bench – headed by Justice Najafi- which originally granted bail to the petitioner [Maryam Nawaz] should hear the case. It then recused itself.
As a result, a second bench was formed comprising Justice Najafi and Justice Farooq Haider. But Justice Haider recused himself from the matter when the petition came for hearing on Tuesday.
Finally, LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti then constituted a bench comprising Justice Najafi and Justice Asjad Javed Ghural to hear the petition. However, Justice Ghural also recused himself from the matter when the bench assembled to take up the petition.
Read more: Islamabad High Court to live telecast hearings
Lahore High Court bench dissolved for the third time that had to conduct hearing on the request for returning the passport of PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz. Justice Asjad Ghural and Justice Farooq Haider have refused to conduct hearing on the matter.
— Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) April 26, 2022
In 2019, Maryam Nawaz had to surrender her passport as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) raised concerns that she might flee the country amid the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.