Lahore: The Lahore High Court on Monday directed the federal government to file a reply on October 22 in a petition seeking action against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif under treason charges for claiming that those involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack belonged to Pakistan.
Former Pakistan premiers Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, along with prominent journalist for Dawn newspaper Cyril Almeida, appeared before the full bench of the Lahore High Court on Monday.
Cyril Almeida is also a respondent in the case being heard by a three-member bench headed by Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi.
It inquired Deputy Attorney General Mian Tariq about the action the government had taken with respect to Article 6 (treason) in this case.
“Taking action under Article 6 is the government’s job…what has it done so far?” Justice Jahangir, a member of the bench, asked.
The court also ordered Cyril Almeida’s name be removed from no-fly list (exit control list) and withdrew his non-bailable warrants.
The petition was filed by Amina Malik, a civil society activist, against Sharif for his interview to Dawn in May last year in which he had said that those involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack case actually belonged to Pakistan.
The petitioner said the “anti-state” statement of Sharif – a three-time prime minister – could be used against Pakistan by its enemies.
She said a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) was held to discuss the “misleading” statement of the disqualified premier and later the then prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi met Sharif and conveyed to him the concerns of the military leadership on his statement.
