LHC dismisses treason petitions against Nawaz Sharif

Petitions were filed by PTI, PAT members

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday dismissed petitions submitted by opposition parties to initiate treason proceedings against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif following his controversial statements regarding the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.



Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza dismissed the petitions filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistani Awami Tehreek (PAT).

After hearing the arguments of the petitioners, Justice Mirza advised the petitioners to approach the proper forum for such a petition and declared them unmaintainable.

On May 14, a petition was submitted in the LHC to register a treason case against Nawaz following his controversial remarks on Mumbai attacks.

The petition, filed by advocate Aftab Virk on behalf of PAT's Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, alleged that Nawaz’s statement is against national security and state institutions. The petition also prayed upon the court to initiate proceedings under Article 6 of the Constitution against him.

Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal was also mentioned as a respondent in the petition apart from Nawaz.



On May 12, Nawaz, during an interview with a local daily, had stated that “Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can’t we complete the trial?”

“We have isolated ourselves. Despite giving sacrifices, our narrative is not being accepted. Afghanistan’s narrative is being accepted, but ours is not. We must look into it,” he added.