FIA Stops Shehbaz Sharif from Flying Abroad

On Saturday, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) stopped Shehbaz Sharif from traveling abroad despite Lahore High Court Interim Order. Federal Investigation Agency officers told him that his name is still present on the blacklist in their system; they can’t allow him to travel. He said that he got permission from the high court; but officers said that they can’t do anything till his name is removed from the list available to them.

Lahore High Court Interim Order

Earlier, Lahore High Court Bench presided over by Justice Ali Baqar Najfi on Friday, gave Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif “One Time” permission on medical grounds to fly abroad for his treatment.
Lahore High Court Interim Order stated that
“Keeping in view the past conduct and travel history, the fact that name of the petitioner is not in Exit Control List (ECL) at the moment, the name of the petitioner in blacklist, if already placed, will not stop the petitioner from one-time visit to UK from May 8, 2021, to July 3, 2021, for his medical checkup as per his personal commitment made before this court,”

Government Response

Meanwhile, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general held the authority to add or remove a person’s name from the blacklist. “Shehbaz’s lawyers have not submitted any request to the DG FIA to remove [Shehbaz’s name] from the blacklist as per the court’s decision. The record cannot be changed on the basis of verbal talks.”

بلیک لسٹ میں نام ڈالنا یا نکالنا ڈائریکٹر جنرل FIA کا اختیار ہے، شہباز شریف کے وکلاء کی طرف سے عدالتی فیصلے کی بلیک لسٹ سے نام نکلوانے کی ابھی تک کوئ درخواست DGFIA کو نہیں دی گئ ، صرف زبانی باتوں پر ریکارڈ میں تبدیلی نہیں کی جا سکتی، حکومت اس فیصلے کیخلاف عدالت کو رجوع کرے گی

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) May 8, 2021

Spokesperson,& Special Assistant to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill criticized Shehbaz Sharif and said that Shehbaz Sharif threatened Government Officer.

یہ لوگ اس ملک کے حکمران رہے ہیں۔ اور ان کو بھاگنے کی کتنی جلدی ہے۔ ایسے بھاگ رہے ہیں راتو رات جیسے چور چوری کے بعد بھاگتا ہے۔ زرا چیک کریں کیسے ایک سرکاری افسر کو پریشرائز کر رہے ہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/mxSZO44FX6

— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) May 7, 2021

PML-N Response

PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz termed this as a violation of the court order.

Highly condemnable how jaali government has brazenly violated court order by stopping @CMShehbaz at the airport today. Shows how scared selected is of him.

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) May 8, 2021

PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb condemned the move, saying Shehbaz was held back at the behest of Prime Minister Imran Khan and SAPM Shahzad Akbar.