ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Thursday barred the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) from arresting Suleman Shehbaz, the son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is expected to return to Pakistan this week
after four years of self-exile in London.
Suleman has been in London with his family since 2018, when the National Accountability Bureau registered multiple cases against him ahead of the general election.
He had filed a plea before the IHC a day ago, seeking protective bail that would enable him to surrender before a trial court. The court took up the plea for hearing yesterday. Suleman’s counsel Amjad Pervez appeared before the court.
During the proceedings, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued directives for the applicant, asking him to surrender before the court by Dec 13 and barred the FIA from arresting him until then.
Justice Farooq said it was necessary for an applicant to be present in the court while seeking protective bail. Pervez told the court that his client was returning to Islamabad via Saudi Arabia on Sunday (Dec 11). “He wants to appear before the relevant authorities,” he added.
The counsel said the court had been granting similar protective bails in the past. Following the arguments, the court approved the protective bail and directed him to appear before it by Dec 13.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Attaullah Tarar responded to a comment made by PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry on the court’s decision, saying it was a blessing from Almighty Allah.
Earlier, Fawad made a sarcastic comment on the verdict. “Thankfully, the courts in the country are independent and justice prevails, otherwise all hope was lost,” he tweeted.
In response, Tarar also took a dig at former accountability czar Shahzad Akbar, asking “where has he been who made all these cases?”
