Court Summons Nawaz Sharif, Journalist in Treason Case

Lahore: The Lahore High Court on Monday asked former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and a journalist to appear before it in connection with a treason case. The case, which was filed by civil society member Amina Malik through Advocate Azhar Siddique, seeks action against Sharif on treason charges for allegedly trying to defame state institutions in an interview to Dawn news, as well as action against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for allegedly not honouring his oath of office by disclosing the minutes of a National Security Council (NSC) meeting to Nawaz. Noting that Dawn news journalist Cyril Almeida had failed to appear in the last three hearings of the case, the three-judge bench told his lawyer that they would issue non-bailable arrest warrants so that he could be taken into custody and presented in court. The judges directed that the ousted Prime Minister appear before the court in accordance with the law and summoned him on October 8. (IANS)