The Lahore High Court on Wednesday allowed Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz to fly abroad for 10 days. The court also issued notice to the interior ministry and sought its reply within fortnight. Earlier, Justice Muhammad Farrukh Irfan asked Hamza's counsel whether his client is involved in any 'anti-state activities'.
"My client is a patriotic citizen and did not even leave the country during Pervez Musharraf's dictatorship," the counsel responded. Hamza told the court, "Last year in November when I was traveling to Britain, I was told at the airport that my name is on the blacklist. I belong to a political family and addition of my name to the ECL has been made with mala fide intention," he added. At this, the court asked the law officer, "Why is the name of an innocent citizen on ECL?"
"Does being a public representative means that a person enjoys complete freedom?" the law officer replied. "These courts are based on the principle that law is equal for all citizens," the judge said. The law officer said, "a high court judgment itself had set down the rules for restriction of movement for any citizen."
"If someone has caused monetary losses to the national exchequer, they can be stopped from leaving the country," the law officer told the court. "Remember, those who are in the government today may be sitting in the opposition tomorrow," the judge said, during the hearing, adding that the chief justice and SC judges have shown displeasure on numerous occasions over the way NAB is conducting itself. The courts will not let Pakistan become a banana republic, adding that favorite and nepotism has played havoc with the country, the judge added.
The NAB has started punishing people on its own without giving them an opportunity of fair trial, the judge added. The AAG pointed out that former finance minister Ishaq Dar had flown to London in a prime minister's plane and never returned to face the NAB reference. At this, the judge observed that even more influential person had gone abroad. "Why are you not naming them?" The judge asked the law officer.
The court turned down the objection of the law officer that the respondents in the petition are currently based at Islamabad. The opposition leader pleaded that he on November 27, 2018, intended to travel abroad to see his ailing wife in the United Kingdom. However, he was informed by the authorities that his name had been included in the list on NAB's advice.
He pleaded that the right to travel and free movement was guaranteed under the Constitution. "I am representative of the people of the largest province and have been taking regular part in all the NAB inquiries against him." The petitioner requested the court to direct the ministry to remove his name from the ECL.
According to NAB, Hamza and his brother Salman in their capacity as directors of Ramzan Sugar Mills had a bridge linking to their mills constructed in Chiniot using public funds. The Rs200 million project was approved by then chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, the NAB claims.
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