ISLAMABAD: The federal government has trashed an application for issuance of passport by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is wanted by the country’s superior courts in many pending cases, and asked the “proclaimed offender” politician to surrender before the country’s High Commission in London to be brought back for production in the courts.
In two separate letters, copies of which are available with Pakistan Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and Ministry of Interior (MoI) have asked Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz to provide details on the status of his medical treatment in London and be ready to travel back to Pakistan on emergency travel documents.
In response to MoFA’s Islamabad DO No AS(A) 1/2021 dated February 19, 2021, and MoI’s UO of even number dated March 4, 2021, on the request for issuance of passport, the Interior Ministry said that the application for renewal of passport by Nawaz is misconceived and may not be processed by the relevant authorities for the following reasons:
Nawaz has been declared a proclaimed offender by Islamabad High Court (IHC) in Criminal Appeal No 1/2019, titled, “Mian Nawaz vs NAB [National Accountability Bureau]” as well as in Reference No 6/2020, namely, Toshakhana Reference by the Accountability Court No 3 of Islamabad.
Similarly, he has been declared a proclaimed offender in Reference No 15/2020 in case of Mir Shakeelur Rehman by the Accountability Court No 1 of Lahore.
“Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is thereby required to return to Pakistan and appear before the relevant courts to face charges. He, being a fugitive of the law and absconder, cannot seek any further relief unless he surrenders before the Courts in Pakistan,” the letter read.
As per the IHC order dated October 29, 2019, Nawaz was granted an eight-week bail in the form of suspension of sentence, which upon expiry was not extended by the Punjab government as he failed to put forth reasonable cause as to why it should be extended for his medical treatment.
Hence, Nawaz is now required to serve the remainder of his sentence at Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore. Yet, rather than obeying the dictates of the court and abiding by the conditions precedent in the bail granting order, he fled the country to avoid prosecution.
The following cases are pending in different courts in which the PML-N supremo is required to appear and defend himself:
i. Toshakhana Reference No 6/2020 pending in Accountability Court No 3, Islamabad;
ii. Criminal Appeal No 1/7019 pending before the IHC;
iii. Criminal Appeal No 121/2018 pending before the IHC;
iv. Criminal Appeal No 3/2019 pending before the IHC.
In the light of the above, Nawaz has failed to satisfy as to how he fulfils the requirement as envisaged under the relevant scheme of law for renewal of passport, the ministry stated.
It is pertinent to mention that the issuance of a passport is not a fundamental right of any citizen. It, being a property of the federal government, may only be issued once the applicant satisfies the relevant authorities regarding the bonafide of the application. A citizen’s right to travel abroad extinguishes once declared a fugitive of the law.
In order to return to Pakistan, Nawaz may apply for emergency travel documents from the Pakistan High Commission in London and the same may be issued once he produces prior bookings of travel to Pakistan through Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) only.
In light of the above details, it is appropriate that a reply may be given to Nawaz by the Pakistan High Commission, London, United Kingdom, accordingly.
MINISTRY SEEKS INFORMATION ON SHARIF’S MEDICAL TREATMENT:
The Interior Ministry, in another letter to the additional secretary (Europe), asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help provide information related to the medical treatment of the former prime minister Nawaz, in view of the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) order dated November 16, 2019 (WP No 68815/2019) and the undertakings provided by Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif before the court.
The Ministry of Interior has sought the following information:
- Current diagnosis by the medical doctors;
- Name and address of doctors under whom you are receiving medical treatment;
- Copies of all the medical reports including tests undertaken in the UK with results of the tests;
- Details of treatment (if any) received in the UK hospitals;
- Details of ongoing treatment (if any);
It has also asked for the details of payments made for medical treatment in the UK, the dates of visits and consultations made with doctors in the UK.
It further asked for the signatures of Nawaz on the consent form as per the legal requirements for the release of medical information in the UK to the Pakistan High Commission.
Imran Khan’s government is afraid of Nawaz Sharif, as his popularity in Pakistan has been steadily increasing and the support of PDM in the recent elections has proved this. Imran Khan has become the Prime Minister by rigging the elections with the help of army and this thing is slowly coming in front of the people of Pakistan. In such a situation, Imran Khan and his government are adopting the tactics of this fold to deal with Nawaz Sharif. They know that if Nawaz Sharif comes to the ground then Imran Khan’s government will not survive and that is why it is being denied to renew the passport of Nawaz Sharif.