Return of passport: LHC’s full bench to take up Maryam’s petition

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) full bench would proceed on September 27 (Tuesday) with a petition of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz seeking recovery of her passport surrendered to the court for bail in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.

The bench on previous hearing had issued notices to the federal government and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) with direction to submit their replies till next hearing.

Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti headed the bench with Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh. The full bench was constituted after several judges recused themselves from hearing the petition of Maryam for personal reasons.

The petitioner contended that she had surrendered her passport in addition to surety bonds for bail in Chaudhry Sugar Mills inquiry initiated by the NAB.

She remained in the custody of the NAB for 48 days but it failed to complete investigation or file a reference before the trial court despite the lapse of four years.

The petitioner had willingly returned to the country to serve the sentence in other NAB cases, she said.

She claimed her father was still undergoing the diagnosis in London. She submitted that in the absence of any charge sheet or trial, she had not been able to exercise her fundamental rights for about four years on account of surrendering her passport.

Maryam pleaded that she was in dire need to go abroad to attend and inquire after the health of her ailing father. She; therefore, asked the court to direct the deputy registrar (judicial) to return her passport.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022