Maryam’s passport plea: Third LHC bench dissolved after judges decline to hear case

LAHORE: Two-judge benches of the Lahore High Court (LHC), which were formed to hear the petition of PMLN Vice President Maryam Nawaz regarding her passport, were dissolved in one day here on Tuesday.

Firstly the two-judge bench headed by Justice Ali Baqir Najfi and comprising Justice Farooq Haider was dissolved early today (Tuesday) when Justice Haider recused himself from hearing the case.

The case then was referred to the LHC chief justice for constitution of a new bench which he did. The new two member bench was also led by Justice Ali Baqir Najfi and the other judge on the bench was Justice Asjad Javed Gharal was due to take up the case later Tuesday. But Justice Gharal also declined to hear the petition.

The benches were supposed to hear Maryam Nawaz’ petition regarding retrieval of her passport so that she could go to Saudi Arabia for the performance of Umrah. Ahsan Bhoon Advocate appeared before the court on behalf of Maryam Nawaz. But the benches could not hear the case when Justice Haider and Justice Gharal recused themselves from the hearing.

Earlier on April 21 a two-judge bench headed by Justice Syed Abbas Ali Rizvi of the Lahore High Court could not hear Maryam’s case as the bench was dissolved when Justice Anwarul Haq Pannu recused himself from hearing the case.

Maryam Nawaz has approached the Lahore High Court for permission to go for Umrah. Maryam in her petition stated that she had surrendered her passport to the LHC, adding she wants to go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah but cannot do so because her passport is surrendered at the LHC. She pleaded with the court to allow her once to go for Umrah and issue orders for temporarily returning her passport.