Islamabad - The Federal Cabinet which met with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair on Tuesday decided to wait for final decision of Lahore High Court allowing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad for his medical check-up.
“The government has decided not to challenge the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict on case until its final decision on the case,” Federal Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Information Dr Fadoos Ashiq Awan told a joint press conference after the cabinet meeting.
The law minister said that the government had decided for the time being not to challenge the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict allowing former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for medical treatment without furnishing indemnity bonds.
He explained that the Lahore High Court had announced an interim verdict and as per the precedent there is 99 percent chance that the Supreme Court will not entertain appeal against the interim verdict. “Hence, there is no point of challenging the court’s decision,” he added.
Farogh says Cabinet has decided to wait for court’s final decision
Following LHC decision the ailing Nawaz Sharif left for London earlier yesterday via an air ambulance, after the LHC last week had suspended the federal government’s condition of indemnity bonds for Nawaz Sharif’s travel to the tune of over Rs7 billion and ordered the government to remove his name from the no-fly list.
The law minister also announced that the option of challenging the verdict is still “intact” and can be challenged in the apex court only after going through the detailed verdict, which will be issued after the court concludes the hearing.
“The case has been fixed for January for hearing and the government will present its reasoning on indemnity bonds before the Lahore High Court and subsequently decide to go in appeal after going through final judgment,” Naseem said.
He also reiterated that Prime Minister Imran Khan had no personal grudges against the PML-N supremo, saying that the government’s only objective was to make an accountability process across the board.
Nawaz Sharif whose health started deteriorating recently and fell seriously ill fast has been convicted and jailed in the Al Azizia corruption reference but had obtained bail from the Islamabad High Court on humanitarian grounds.
Meanwhile Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan while speaking about other decisions taken by the cabinet said that the Prime Minister congratulating the government’s economic team on tangible achievements.
According to her the Prime Minister told his cabinet members that for the first time current account deficit has decreased in the country due to measures taken by the government’s economic team. He said improvement of economic indicators has restored the confidence of local and foreign investors.
She said that the Prime Minister directed all ministries and departments to accelerate efforts in implementation of people friendly policies of the government. The Prime Minister directed that each ministry should assess its performance on monthly basis regarding providing relief to people.
She said that the cabinet discussed the importance of alternative energy in the overall energy mix and how to increase its share. It approved the new renewable energy policy in principle.
Dr Firdous Awan said that the federal cabinet endorsed the decisions of Economic Coordination Committee’s last meeting. She said that cabinet in addition to approving the decisions made in JCC meeting between Pakistan and China has also gave approval to National Tariff Policy.
She said that the cabinet discussed the issue of appointments at 134 vacant senior posts in various ministries and departments and was apprised there are 89 positions on which people are working on additional charge.
