The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday sought a report from the Foreign Office on the acceptance/implementation of arrest warrant for PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif through the county court in London, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

As a two-member IHC bench adjourned the hearing held in connection with an appeal filed by Nawaz Sharif against his conviction in Al Azizia reference till tomorrow, the court also decided to the record of Rao Abdul Hannan – the Pakistan High Commission official in London visiting the PML-N supremo’s London residence.

His statement could also be recorded via video link, the bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani observed.

During the hearing, Justice Kiyani remarked that the federal government was responsible for ensuring the return and availability of Nawaz.

“Isn’t it the federal government’s responsibility, which had allowed to leave [the country]?” Justice Aamir questioned.

He remarked that the government didn’t file any application before the court that they were allowing a convicted person to leave the country.

Justice Aamir also noted that the Lahore High Court (LHC) did not order removing his name from the ECL (exit control list) and had only defined a procedure.

“An accused name is placed on ECL at the inquiry stage and the court wasn’t informed before sending the convict abroad,” the judge remarked.

When the additional attorney general in his arguments mentioned the extradition process, the court noted that they would not go into that. The government should do whatever necessary to implement the orders as it had allowed Nawaz Sharif to leave the country, the two-member bench remarked.

The IHC passed these orders after the federal government submitted a report on the implementation of arrest warrant, saying his son Hassan Nawaz had received the document at his residence in London. The warrant was dispatched by the Pakistani High Commission in the UK through Royal Mail, he added. 

Last week, the IHC HAD decided that Nawaz Sharif did not deserve any relief or bail and he should surrender himself before the hearing of his appeals against conviction in Al Azizia and Avenfield references.

Moreover, the IHC said he should be arrested and presented before the court while issuing non-bailable arrest warrant for Nawaz.

The court also rejected the request to allow him to be represented by a counsel in his absence as the orders were passed as the two-member bench was hearing the miscellaneous pleas related to the appeal filed against the conviction in Al Azizia and Avenfield references.

One of these pleas was about reviewing the surrender orders passed by the same bench and others for exempting Nawaz from in person during the hearing of appeals against the conviction in two references.