LAHORE: The Lahore High Court dismissed as withdrawn a petition moved on behalf of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif, foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and interior minister Rana Sanaullah Khan.
As the proceeding commenced on Thursday, the court petitioner counsel as to under which law the respondents could be disqualified.
The counsel sought time to prepare his arguments.
The court turned down the request reminding the counsel that he first got the petition fixed during summer vacations and now was seeking time for arguments.
At this, the counsel sought permission to withdraw the petition, which the court allowed and dismissed the petition as withdrawn.
The petition was jointly filed by PTI’s former MNA Andleeb Abbas and a lawyer Hassaan Khan Niazi pleading that the prime minister misused his powers and violated the Constitution by allowing his son Suleman and nephew Hussain Nawaz, both proclaimed offenders, to meet the Saudi crown prince during an official visit. Counsel said that the prime minister took his cabinet members to London to meet former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former finance minister Ishaq Dar, both proclaimed offenders before the courts of the country.
He submitted that the prime minister and his cabinet members violated the Official Secret Act 1923. He requested to disqualify the respondents and also direct the police to initiate criminal proceedings against the PM and his cabinet members.
