Shehbaz Dubs AG’s Letter Illegal, Contemptuous, Politically Motivated

ISLAMABAD: PMLN President and National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif has responded to the letter by the Attorney General (AG) saying the AG’s letter was illegal, contempt of court and a politically motivated action on directions of the Federal Cabinet to trigger a malicious Media Trial.

Shehbaz’s Principle Secretary Murad Ali Khan submitted the reply to the Attorney General. The two-pager reply was sent to Khalid Khan Niazi, secretary to the AG.

In the reply, Shehbaz maintained that the letter by the AG was illegal, violating of state law and contempt of court in context with the subjudice case in Lahore High Court. He expressed serious reservations as to the tenor and expressions used in the letter. It appears that the letter has been issued under instructions by the Federal Cabinet without appreciating the true context and mandate of order dated 1,11-2019 in writ petition No. 68815 of 2019 passed by Homble Division Bench of Lahore High Court Lahore, he wrote. This is a contrived attempt to cause prejudice and Influence pending proceedings, he added.

The PMLN President said he was at a loss to understand as to how the officer acting under the directions of Attorney General for Pakistan could not comprehend and understand concluding part of the undertaking which has been reproduced by him in para 2 of the letter under reference. He stressed that he had reasons to believe that the issuance of the letter was prompted by political motivation and considerations extraneous to law, Constitution of Medical Board, proceedings by it and the demand raised on its basis through the letter runs counter to the mandate and Is completely out of scope of the order dated 16-11-2019.

The National Assembly Opposition Leader said it appears that the letter has been issued for the purposes of Media Trial to support the dying political rhetoric of the Federal Cabinet. He pointed out the requisite reports were being submitted in the office of Registrar Lahore High Court Lahore periodically and he had never breached or violated the undertaking in any manner whatsoever.
Shehbaz termed the issuance of the letter was unwarranted, unjustified and without lawful authority. He believed, this was without prejudice to his rights to seek appropriate remedy as to want of authority and sanction of law regarding issuance of the letter and vilification campaign.