Shahbaz’s interim bail plea accepted
Bureau Report

LAHORE—Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) has accepted interim bail before arrest plea of PML-N president and former chief minister Punjab, Mian Shahbaz Sharif in Sabzazar fake police encounter case for three days till December, 8. The case was registered on the application of one Saeed ud Din, father of one among five persons who were killed in Sabzazar police encounter. The court had directed Shahbaz Sharif to file two surety bonds of Rs 50000 each.
The court had earlier declared him absconder in this case and had issued his perpetual arrest warrants. Shahbaz Sharif appeared before the court on his own on Thursday. Hamza Shahbaz son of Shahbaz Sharif and his counsels including Khawaja Haris, Imtiaz Kaifi also accompanied him. Presenting bail application before the court, Khawaja Haris counsel of Shahbaz Sharif pleaded his client was outside the country as his entry into Pakistan was banned. Now he has come to Pakistan and has appeared before the court. Therefore, his bail before arrest plea be accepted, he prayed. Aftab Bajwa, counsel for prosecution while opposing the bail plea said 10 days had been elapsed eversince Shahbaz Sharif had come to country. He is not entitled to be granted bail as he had appeared in the court too late.
Shahbaz Sharif himself gave arguments before the court saying he was not absconder and he wanted to appear in the court adding he had come to Pakistan for this purpose. “I was deported deceitfully”, he said adding the responsibility lies with government of Punjab too in this respect. Therefore the court should also ask government of Punjab about this case, he prayed.