Lahore, June 11: A Pakistani court ordered the arrest of an exiled relative of Pakistan's deposed prime minister for failing to appear in court on charges he ordered the killing of five men in the eastern city of Lahore, a lawyer said today. The orders were issued by an anti-terrorism court in Lahore yesterday against Shahbaz Sharif, the younger brother of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said Aftab Bajwa, a lawyer involved in the case.
Shahbaz Sharif is living in exile and not allowed to return to Pakistan, making a court appearance impossible. He is charged with ordering police to kill five men who were gunned down in 1998. Two police officials were also ordered arrested for failing to appear in court.
At the time of the killings, Shahbaz Sharif was the chief minister of Punjab province. His brother, Nawaz Sharif, was prime minister of Pakistan at the time. Nawaz Sharif was overthrown in a coup led by Pakistan' current military ruler, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. He and several other family members, including Shahbaz Sharif, were imprisoned but later allowed to go into exile in Saudi Arabia on the provision they not return to Pakistan for 10 years. Bureau Report