New bench to hear Maryam’s passport, ECL pleas

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday dissolved its two-member bench hearing Maryam Nawaz’s pleas seeking removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL) and return of passport to travel abroad.

The court has now formed a new bench comprising Justice Ali Baqir Najfi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh to initiate hearings of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader’s pleas from February 10.

Maryam has filed separate petitions for the withdrawal of her name from the ECL and return of her passport, however, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has already opposed those requests.

Justice Najafi had previously heard those pleas, but when the bench was dissolved, the requests were transferred to another bench. Justice Najafi will once again hear those pleas.

In November, Maryam was granted bail by the LHC in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case against two surety bonds worth Rs10 million and submission of her passport.

On July 6, 2018, accountability judge Mohammad Bashir had convicted former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz in Avenfield properties reference and sentenced them to 10 years and 7 years of imprisonment, respectively.