LHC’s new bench to hear Shahbaz’s bail plea tomorrow

LAHORE: Following the split decision on the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif’s release on bail, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday formed a new bench to hear his bail application on Wednesday (tomorrow).

LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan formed the three-member bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and comprising Justice Ms Aalia Neelam and Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi.

On Sunday, a two-judge LHC bench came up with a split decision on Shahbaz’s release on bail. Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, who headed the bench, allowed the petition, while its other member Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural dismissed the same. In his dissenting note, Justice Ghural also accused the senior judge of unilaterally issuing the short order on bail.

In the written order, Justice Dogar wrote that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president was arrested in Ashiana case, asking why he was not arrested in the assets case. “It is beyond comprehension why the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) postponed the inquiry and not a single transaction in younger Sharif’s account was detected,” he stated, adding: “When there is no concrete evidence how one can be declared criminal.”

In his dissenting note, Justice Ghural stated he had asked the court to reject bail. He also hinted at rejecting bail in the chamber but said the co-judge announced the acceptance of bail on his own. “Despite my clear refusal the matter was brought to the notice of the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court in a few minutes,” he added.

“This is very unfortunate and rare example in the judicial history which could not be expected from a senior member heading the division bench,” the judge wrote in his dissenting note.