LONDON: A petition carrying thousands of signatures has been sent to theInterpol’s headquarters in France.
The petition asks the international body not to take any action againstNawaz Sharif’s sons Hasan and Hussain Nawaz and former Finance MinisterIshaq Dar on a request by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) becausethe cases against them in Pakistan are “politically motivated”.
The petition has been sent by a group of British Pakistanis calledCommunity Leadership Foundation. Its chairperson Barrister Abid Hussainconfirmed that he had sent the petition to the Interpol after the NABapproached Lyon-based body to procure the arrest and/or extradition of theHasan, Hussain and Ishaq Dar.
Abid Hussain said that the petition has been signed by more than 2000people from UK, Europe and the Middle East and has been sent with hundredsof documents to establish that the cases are nothing but a “politicalwitch-hunt”.
He said: “We have raised a cause of concern as members of the overseasPakistani community in the public interest requesting prevention of theissuance of any notice(s) or warrant(s) against the three as the chargesagainst them are politically motivated on account of their relationshipwith the former three times Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad NawazSharif.”
The petition submits that given the constitutional history of Pakistan andthe treatment meted out to political leaders and their families especiallythe handling of Nawaz Sharif and his family by the Pakistani authoritiesfollowing the 12 October 1999 military coup, it can be safely predictedthat the chances of them receiving a fair trial are virtually non-existent.
It says, “Given that Sharif, his daughter and son-in- law are already keptin solitary confinement and other degrading conditions, it is also clearthat these persons will also be subjected to similar treatment violative ofbasic human rights.”