ISLAMABAD, July 28 (APP): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)
leaders on Friday said the Supreme Court’s decision to disqualify
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, though not acceptable,
would still be implemented.
Addressing a press conference here, PML-N leaders Ahsan Iqbal,
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Saad Rafique, Zahid Hamid, Barrister Zafarullah
and Anusha Rehman announced the party’s legal and political strategy
in the wake of the apex court’s decision in the Panama Papers case.
They said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was
disqualified on the basis that he did not receive 10,000 dirhams
from his son’s company.
They claimed that despite probe of 40-year business history of
the Sharif family, the JIT could not prove any corruption.
“Nawaz Sharif was not disqualified due to corruption. No
corruption was done by him. The PML-N workers should feel proud of
their leadership.”
Saad Rafique said the PML-N had not faced such a situtiation.
It had happened in the past too as it faced dictatorship
many times.
“We struggled for the restoration of democracy. We restored
peace in Karachi, brought Balochistan to the national mainstream
and filled the national treasury,” he added.
He said the PML-N would uphold the Supreme Court’s respect
intact and asked the party workers to stay peaceful.
He criticised Imran Khan and said, “You are a pawn in the
hands of somebody. You are a show boy.”
He said nobody would be saved from Articles 62 and 63.
He said their forefathers and his generation gave a lot of
sacrifices for democracy and would continue to struggle for the
democratic rule. The PML-N could not be taken away from the
people’s hearts, he added.
He said nobody had the right to put the country in the reverse
gear. Nawaz Sharif did not accept dictation and was punished for
conducting nuclear tests and launching China Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC), he added.
Saad Rafique said the PML-N would go to the people.
“Nobody can stop us from going to the public. Nawaz Sharif
will now be politically more strong than ever before.”
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also said the party leaders would go
to the court of the people.
He claimed that the prime minister was disqualified for
not receiving money from his son. The facts in that regard could
have been easily confirmed from the company concerned abroad, he
added.
Ahsan Iqbal said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)
government would complete its constitutional tenure till June 4,
2018 and use all available legal and constitutional options.
He said every PML-N worker should be proud of his leader
Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. “I have been with Nawaz Sharif since 1988 and
my confidence in his leadership has enhanced 10 times as compared
to the past.”
He said Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo was sacked in 1988
in the same manner.
He said Afghan leaders had evolved consensus on security
of their respective tenures. Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai
completed his six-year tenure while the current President Ashraf
Ghani was also heading to complete his term, he added.
Nevertheless in case of Pakistan, not a singly prime ministers
could complete his tenure since its inception, he said.
Ahsan Iqbal said it was prayed that Nawaz Sharif should be
disqualified for having four flats in London and committing
corruption. However, the court disqualified him for not receiving
Rs 200,000 from the company of his son, he added.
He said Nawaz Sharif had declared assets worth billions of
rupees.
Though the PML-N had reservations on the court proceedings, but
it still remained part of the judicial process, he added.
Barrister Zafarullah said the case against Nawaz Sharif
started with the petitions of Imran Khan, Sirajul Haq and Sheikh
Rashid Ahmed on the grounds that he should be disqualified for
owning four flats in London, evasion of taxes and misdeclaration
of assets.
Nawaz Sharif, he said, decided that he would not seek
protection through legal technicalities. On April 20, two judges
gave the verdict against him in the Panama Papers case while
three other judges referred the case to a joint investigation team
(JIT), he added.
Zafarullah said, “We had our reservations about the JIT but the
Sharif family continued to present itself for investigation.”
He alleged that those who appeared before the JIT were
threatened and were asked to turn into approvers against the
Sharif family.
He said first Imran Khan alleged that Rs 50 billion corruption
was done, later the amount was reduced to Rs 10 billion, while
Nawaz Sharif was disqualified on a different issue.
He claimed that Nawaz Sharif could not be disqualified on charges
of commission, kickbacks and purchase of flats. “He is not disqualified
on charges of corruption.”
He said since 1947, no prime minister had completed
his tenure. A Field Marshall stayed in power for 11 years while
two generals ruled the country for long periods, he added.
He said politicians in Pakistan had given sacrifices and would
continue to do so.
Zahid Hamid said any finding on the allegations against Nawaz
Sharif was not given in the verdict. The basis of disqualification,
he said, was a certificate that he did not draw any salary from the
company of his son.
Nawaz Sharif, he added, had said on record that he did not
receive any salary from the company.
Anusha Rehman expressed the hope that Nawaz Sharif would
return with full force.
To a question, Saad Rafique said there was a possibility of
filing of a review petition in the Supreme Court.
Ahsan Iqbal said a meeting of parliamentary party would be
called to discuss the future strategy.
