Maryam moves LHC for return of her passport

LAHORE: PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday again approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking the return of her passport.

Maryam had surrendered her passport to the LHC after she had been granted post-arrest bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills money-laundering case. Previously, she had moved the court in April, seeking return of her passport. However, she had withdrawn her petition after no less than four benches were formed to hear her petition due to judges recusing themselves from the case.

Maryam, through her counsel Amjad Parvez, moved the fresh petition, arguing that in 2019, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had forced her to surrender her passport in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case, fearing that she would flee the country. The counsel argued that her client was granted bail after she surrendered her passport. However, despite passing of four years, no reference had been filed in the case. The counsel said the retention of the passport for an indefinite period was tantamount to violation of fundamental rights. He said his client was arrested in an inquiry initiated by the National Accountability Bureau on August 8, 2019, when she was visiting her father at the Central Jail Lahore.

The Lahore High Court accepted the petition of Maryam for hearing. A two-member bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi will hold the hearing today. Justice Anwarul Haq Pannun will be the other judge in the bench.