The Hindu : Court orders production of Sharif kin

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 01, 2003

International

International

Court orders production of Sharif kin

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD June 30. The Provincial Government of Punjab in Pakistan found itself in a piquant situation today as the Lahore High Court took up habeas corpus petition against the alleged detention of the family members of the former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. As the Government pleaded that they were not in its possession, the court deputed a bailiff to recover and produce them before the court on Tuesday.

The Government and a few family members of Mr. Sharif have been engaged in a "cat and mouse" game in the last few days as the former had expressed its determination to deport them back to Saudi Arabia. The family members approached the court alleging that the Government had detained them with a view to deporting them and the court had directed their production.

The case of the Government was that Mr. Sharif and his clan entered into a deal with the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf's Government in December 2000 and went to Saudi Arabia on exile. The deal involved exoneration of all charges against the former Prime Minister. According to the Government, under the pact he or his family members could neither return to Pakistan nor dabble in politics for ten years.

A few woman members of Mr. Sharif's family were allowed to return after they gave a representation that their presence was essential for family and social functions.

The Interior Minister, Faisal Saleh Hayat, has said that the family had overstayed and would have to return. In fact, tickets for their return were handed over on Saturday. However, they suddenly disappeared.

The Advocate General of Punjab, Shabbar Raza Rizvi, said at the court that the detainees were not in the Government custody and the court could depute a bailiff on the request of the petitioner. The AGP, presenting clippings from newspapers of April, informed the court that the family of the former Chief Minister of Punjab and brother of Mr. Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, entered Pakistan in April last for a function for a specific period, but were still in Pakistan.

The lawyer representing Mr. Sharif's family submitted that this was not relevant, that the actual issue is the detention of Mr. Shahbaz Sharif's family. He claimed that the wife, sons and daughters of the brother of Mr. Sharif were in illegal custody of the Government, and should be recovered and released as they have not violated law.

In a related development, the Interior Minister has said that the Government had been urging members of the two families to leave the country voluntarily as it did not want to use "strong arm" tactics. He has claimed that all members of the clan are covered by the agreement.

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