LAHORE - Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has approached the Lahore High Court to withdraw his petition challenging placement of his name on the blacklist/no-fly list and civil miscellaneous application for implementation of the court orders in the matter. 

Shehbaz Sharif through an application submitted that the court granted one-time permission to him to travel abroad for medical checkup on a petition challenging placement of his name on the blacklist. 

He submitted that the court had also sought reply from respondents on his civil miscellaneous application for implementation of the orders.

However, the federal government has placed his name in the exit control list (ECL) through a memorandum on May 17, he added. He submitted after the issuance of memorandum the matter may not proceed in present form.

Shahzad Akbar says his offer of legal assistance to Shehbaz still stands

He submitted that he wanted to challenge the memorandum and pleaded with the court for allowing him to withdraw the main petition along with civil miscellaneous application, in view of the developments.

Meanwhile, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Barrister Mirza Shahzad Akbar on Saturday said that Shehbaz Sharif’s withdrawal of the petition from Lahore High Court (LHC) to get its order implemented regarding the permission to go abroad for one-time for medical treatment to him had demonstrated that he (Shehbaz) tried to flee from the country on false pretext.

In a tweet, he said the withdrawal of the petition by opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif had also proved that the legal arguments presented earlier in the LHC about blacklist were flawed. He said his offer of providing legal assistance (to Shehbaz) still stands.