The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday barred the PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi from working as special assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Shehbaz Sharif until the next date of the hearing, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Giving the ruling, IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah said hopefully Abbasi would not discharge his functions as SAPM until the next date of the hearing. “If somebody is a convict, he or she cannot hold a public office,” he remarked.

In is reply, Ahsan Bhoon Advocate, who represented the PML-N leader in the case, said that he would try to satisfy the court that the office of SAPM was not like other public offices.  

But CJ Minallah retorted that the office of SAPM is no different from other public offices. 

Advocate Bhoon prayed to him not to give such an order, which later on went on to become the verdict. “The job of the special assistant is to give advice, which he can give even without any notification,” the IHC CJ opined.    

The court then adjourned the case hearing until May 27, 2022.  

Three days ago, on May 14, the federal government had submitted its initial reply to the petition filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the appointment of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi as special assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Shehbaz Sharif. 

In the reply, sent by the Establishment Division, the court was informed that its order to PM Shehbaz to review his decision of appointing Abbasi as his SAPM, had been communicated to him.  

The court was told that detailed reply would be submitted once the prime minister gave instructions in this regard. 

Five days ago, on May 9, 2022, the IHC, while rejecting the petition, seeking court order to bar Abbasi from working as special aide to PM Shehbaz Sharif, had asked the latter to review his decision.

Former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad had filed the petition, in which he had prayed to the court to restrain the PML-N leader from working as a special assistant to PM Shehbaz. 

Reporter: Ihtesham Kiani