From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Sunday expressed reservations over the “conflicting note” issued four days after the court granted bail to party president Shehbaz Sharif.
In a statement, PML-N central spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said this happened for the first time in the judicial history of Pakistan that a conflicting note was issued four days after the bail was granted.
“We have been visiting the court for four days to get bail orders but every time we were told those were not signed yet,” she said and added: “It’s very painful.” The Lahore High Court (LHC) had issued its detailed verdict on bail granted to Sharif in the money laundering reference.
According to the judgment, in a two-judge bench, Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar granted the bail to Sharif, however, Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural declined the plea. LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan will now appoint a referee judge who would agree to the order of one of the dissenting judges and the bail petition would be rejected or accepted by a majority of 2:1.
According to Justice Dogar, due to differences, separate decisions were handed. “The matter will now be placed before the Chief Justice for the appointment of a referee judge,” he said. A two-judge bench on April 13 granted bail to Sharif in the money laundering case.
Justice Ghural, in his dissenting note, stated that fellow judge had approved the bail of Sharif despite his refusal whereas Justice Dogar said that the bail was granted on mutual consent.
Sharif’s release from prison was halted after one of the judges hearing the matter raised the objection.
