LHC forms new bench to hear Maryam Nawaz's plea seeking removal from ECL

LHC forms new bench to hear Maryam Nawaz's plea seeking removal from ECL

Lahore (Web Desk): The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday constituted a new bench to hear Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz’s petition seeking removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL).

According to details, the two-member new bench constituted by the LHC Chief Justice, will be presided by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Tariq Saleem Shaikh will be the second member of the bench.

The bench will hear the petition of the PML-N on February 10.

Previously, a two-member bench headed by Justice Tariq Abbasi had been hearing the petition.

Maryam had filed a petition in the LHC on December 21, 2019 for the removal of her name from the no-fly list.

In a petition filed earlier in December, Maryam had expressed concern for her father Nawaz Sharif's health, requesting the court to allow her to travel abroad so she could take care of him.

However, the LHC had asked the government to make a final decision about removing Maryam's name from the ECL within the next seven days.

On December 24 last year, the federal cabinet had decided against allowing Maryam permission to fly abroad.

On January 15, the court had asked the federal government to explain in writing why it took more than seven days to take a final decision

In a subsequent hearing on January 21, the judge had questioned the reasoning behind Maryam's insistence for travelling abroad.

The Lawyer of Maryam Nawaz had informed the court that her father was severely ill and that she needed to be with him.

The court had later accepted her lawyer's plea for more time to prepare the case and adjourned the hearing.

Maryam and her father former premier Nawaz Sharif’s names were placed on the ECL in 2018 following their conviction in the Avenfield reference.