Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday rejected a petition filed against the potential issuance of a diplomatic passport by the incumbent government to PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif.
Based on media reports, suggesting the potential issuance of a diplomatic passport to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Advocate Naeem Haider Panjutha, had filed a petition in the IHC in which he had sought the “Court’s writ to refrain the federal government from issuing a diplomatic passport in favour of Nawaz Sharif.”
The petitioner argued that as Nawaz Sharif “was convicted and has been declared as an absconder by a competent court and, therefore, an extraordinary benefit/facilitation
cannot be extended by the State.”
However, today, the honourable Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a 3-page verdict and dismissed the petition, calling it “frivolous.”
CJ IHC Athar Minallah observed in the verdict that the petition was based on “unreliable material.”
“It is noted that no evidentiary value is attached to the press reports and no reliance can be placed on it when a person claims a legal right on its basis. It is settled law that courts do not decide cases on the basis of press reports,” the verdict said.
Based on these, the petition was dismissed after slapping an Rs5,000 fine on the petitioner on account of counsels engaged during the hearing at state expense.
