Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said his party would back any decision the Supreme Court made in a contempt case against Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani for failing to get graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari reopened in Switzerland.
The former PM said the PML-N would back the Supreme Court if it made a “big decision” against Gilani’s government. He was referring to the possible conviction of Gilani in the contempt case that was initiated after the PM failed to approach Swiss authorities to reopen cases of alleged money laundering against Zardari. “If the court makes some big decision in the future, we will make sure it is implemented,” Nawaz told reporters after condoling with Jamaat-e-Islami leader Liaquat Baloch over the death of his mother.
He said that the government had continuously defied the apex court’s orders. “We will not only follow the Supreme Court orders, but will also stand against those who disrespect them,” Nawaz said. “People are making plans against Supreme Court orders. This is extremely sad and is not acceptable at all,” he stated. Gilani has maintained that he cannot act on the apex court’s orders as long as Zardari was in the president’s office, as the constitution provided immunity to the president in Pakistan and abroad.
Nawaz avoided a question about allegations that he had received money from the ISI when the spy agency distributed millions of rupees among politicians to rig the general election in 1990. The PML-N president said the party would make the government accountable at every forum, including the parliament, if it did not implement the Supreme Court orders. The PML-N leader slammed the incumbent government by saying that it was not only the ruling party involved in corruption and other misdeeds, but its coalition partners were also equally responsible. “The coalition parties are supporting the government in this unemployment, inflation and load shedding. All the parties are equally involved in disparaging the Supreme Court,” he said. On the opposition’s call to present new recommendations for the revised national security policy, Nawaz said talks and discussions were underway and the recommendations could only be put forward when finalised. The PML-N chief said the life of the people had become miserable due to prolonged power outages and people’s agitation in this regard was justified. He said the government should at least bother about the country and its people. He said electricity supply to his residence remained suspended for 20 hours on Friday. He said the prices of petrol increased in international markets but it was the burden of taxes that was making the lives of the people miserable. Nawaz said the champions of Balochistan were shedding crocodile tears, because they gave their full support to Pervez Musharraf during his operation against Akbar Bugti.
PML-N to back ‘big’ SC decision against Gilani: Nawaz
