LHC adjourns hearing of Nusrat Shehbaz plea till Feb 24

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday adjourned hearing of a petition, filed by Nusrat Shahbaz, the wife of Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, challenging the issuance of her arrest warrants by an accountability court in a money-laundering and illegal assets case.

The division bench, headed by Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, heard the petition filed by Nusrat Shehbaz.

The bench was apprised during the proceedings that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed reply to the petition. The bureau had raised objections on the maintainability of the petition and pleaded with the court to dismiss it.

However, the petitioner's counsel requested the court to grant an opportunity for preparation and filing the reply.

The bench accepted the request and adjourned hearing till February 24, besides extending stay granted to Nusrat Shehbaz, on the previous hearing.

The bench had stayed the NAB authorities from taking coercive measures against Nusrat Shehbaz.

Nusrat had submitted that she was residing in a foreign country for medical treatment before the start of investigation and filing of the reference by the bureau in a money laundering case. She submitted that she had approached the accountability court for permanent exemption from personal appearance in the case, but the court turned down the application without any legal justification.

She stated that she was suffering from different diseases and currently receiving medical treatment abroad, which stopped her from arriving in the country for appearing in the court.

She pleaded with the court to set aside the verdict of the court regarding issuance of her arrest warrants.