FIA stops Shehbaz Sharif from leaving for Doha

Lahore: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday barred Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) president and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif from leaving for Doha, Qatar.

According to sources, the FIA staff stopped Shehbaz Sharif on immigration counter at the Allama Iqbal International Airport and informed him that his name is still on black list in their record.

Shehbaz Sharif was scheduled to depart for Doha from Lahore, where he was expected to stay for two to three days. From Doha, the PML-N leader was scheduled to leave for London. Shehbaz Sharif is a cancer patient and was going to London for treatment.

According to family sources, preparations are underway on an emergency basis for Shahbaz Sharif s departure abroad where the PML-N president will undergo a medical examination by his doctor in London on May 22.

The United Kingdom had added Pakistan, to its “red list” – a list of countries from where travellers are refused entry – to protect Britain against coronavirus variants.

Earlier, Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday allowed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Opposition Leader in National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif to go abroad.

Justice Ali Baqir Najfi announced the ruling on the former Punjab chief minister’s petition seeking exclusion of his name from the blacklist. Justice Ali Baqar Najafi passed the orders on a petition filed by Shehbaz Sharif for removing his name from blacklist.

The court allowed Shehbaz Sharif one-time visit to United Kingdom from May 8 to July 5 for medical check-up, besides seeking reply from respondents.

Advocate Amjad Pervaiz on behalf of Shehbaz Sharif argued before the court that his client was arrested in connection with Ashiana and Ramzan Sugar Mills cases in 2018 but he got bail in February 2019. However his name was put on exit control list and it was removed on direction of the LHC, he added.

He submitted that Shehbaz Sharif was scheduled to visit consultant in connection with his treatment in London but his name had been put on the blacklist.

He argued that step of putting his client’s name on the blacklist was illegal as he had not been served any notice. At this, the court questioned a deputy attorney general whether name of Shehbaz Sharif had been put on blacklist.

To this, he stated that he could not assist the court without taking instructions from the concerned quarters. The court directed the law officer for taking instructions from concerned quarters and adjourned hearing for short time.

It is to be mentioned here that Shehbaz Sharif had filed a petition in LHC, stating that he is a cancer survivor and needs to go abroad for treatment, but the federal government had put his name on the blacklist.

The Ministry of Interior, federation and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) were named as respondents in the plea.