IHC rejects request to publish more ads for Sharif

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday was apprised by the federal government about the publication of advertisement in two newspapers for summoning former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield Apartments and Al-Azizia Steel Mills references on November 24.

The bench rejected the request by Additional Attorney General Tariq Khokhar to grant permission to publish an advertisement for Sharif in two London-based newspapers.

A division bench, comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani, conducted the hearing on a plea pertaining to the issue.

The additional attorney general appeared before the court during the hearing and informed the bench about the publication of the advertisement in Pakistani newspapers in compliance with the court orders.

The registrar had asked to issue an advertisement on October 19.

He presented a copy of the advertisement before the court, saying that the advertisement had been published in one Pakistani newspaper's Lahore and London editions, while the advertisement in another newspaper was published in the Lahore edition.

The AAG requested the court to publish Sharif's advertisement in London's The Telegraph and The Guardian, to which the court inquired whether there was a special reason for this.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani asked when the court order was implemented, then what else the Federation needed.

Khokhar replied that the advertisement should also be published in the newspapers - The Guardian and The Telegraph - as these were read in the UK.

To this, the court remarked that Sharif's advertisement has also been published in English newspapers, its orders have been implemented, adding that it was not necessary to publish the ad in every newspaper.

The court noted that the advertisement had been given in the newspapers, which had London edition, adding that it was not necessary to publish a separate advertisement in British newspapers.

After hearing the arguments, the court rejected the request of the Federation. Sharif's summons in Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Avenfield references were published in Sunday's newspapers. Both advertisements said that Sharif was sentenced to 10-year imprisonment and fined £8 million on July 6, 2018 in the Avenfield reference. Sharif's sentence was suspended in the same reference on September 19, 2018 after which he was released on bail.

An appeal was pending in the Avenfield reference before the IHC. Sharif was required to appear before the court during the hearing. Arrest warrants were issued to ensure that Sharif would appear in court on November 24. Similarly, Sharif was awarded seven-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs1.5 billion in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference. The accused did not appear for follow-up hearing on his appeals after suspension of his sentence and eight-week bail on medical grounds.

Sharif's warrants were issued which could not be complied with. The court was satisfied with the reports that Sharif is a fugitive. Sharif was being summoned through an advertisement to appear in court on November 24. (With additional input from APP)