The assistant registrar of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday wrote a letter to the foreign secretary to ensure the production of former premier Nawaz Sharif before the court on September 22.

The letter stated that the IHC on September 15 had ordered the issuance of non-bailable arrest warrants against the former prime minister while hearing his application seeking exemption from personal appearance in the hearing of appeals against his conviction in the references related to Al Azizia and Avenfield Properties.

Through the letter the foreign secretary has been directed to "cause the production of appellant [Nawaz] through High Commission of Pakistan in United Kingdom" by 11am on September 22.

Earlier this week, a two-member bench comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the appeal of PML-N supremo seeking exemption from the appearance in the court on medical basis. The bench had denied to grant to exemption and instead issued warrants for his arrest.

Earlier this month, the IHC had directed Nawaz to surrender before the court and appear at the next hearing which was scheduled for September 10. On September 9, Nawaz's counsel had filed a review petition asking the court to forgo the requirement. The hearing on September 10 was adjourned without any conclusion as Nawaz had been declared a "proclaimed offender" by an accountability court in the Toshakana reference. The court said that it needed clarity about whether appeals by a person who has been declared as a proclaimed offender in a case can be heard.

The court, on September 15, had issued non-bailable warrants for the former premier. A copy of the court order was attached with the letter sent to the foreign secretary.