No public trial of SC verdict, says Nisar

• Minister says decision on Panama Papers case must be accepted by everyone
• ‘A leader with proverbial corruption record giving sermons on morality’
• Interior Ministry to submit Dawn Leaks report to PM on Monday or Tuesday

Minister for Interior Affairs Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Friday said that decision of the Supreme Court on Panama Papers case must be accepted by everyone and there should be no public trial of the verdict.

“People are giving strange and illogical arguments on the verdict. I think decision of the Supreme Court is still sub-judice as the joint investigation team (JIT) is being formed for further investigation,” he said while talking to media persons here.

He said that the court would give its final verdict on basis of evidence and not allegations. All the five judges of the Supreme Court bench were unanimous about formation of the joint team. “Let’s leave it up to apex court to decide on issue as the JIT report will be submitted to it after probe,” he said.

The minister said that the courts do not follow someone’s wishes but instead the law and constitution. He said that some folks out there were putting forward weird kind of logic after the Panama Papers case verdict. “The matter is still in court and let the Supreme Court decide about the fate of the case,” he said.

The prime minister also issued clear cut direction to the cabinet members that no adverse comments should be made about the verdict, Nisar said. He said that every judge has his opinion or right of view and the decision should be left to the judges.

He said that the government was fully resolved to respect the judgement of the Supreme Court and implement it in letter and spirit. He said that the opposition has repeatedly been demanding formation of the JIT but now some of them were objecting to it, expressing surprise that leader of a party with proverbial corruption record was giving sermons on morality.

He criticised former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari for lecturing others and issuing certificates of honesty on articles 62 and 63. When Zardari starts teaching about morality, it could be a sign of the judgment day, he said. He said it was the only time in the history of the country when Asif Zardari was convicted by Swiss courts.

Replying to a question, Nisar said some people were trying to create confusion as they did not want any decision of the case rather they wanted anarchy. To a question, he expressed the hope that he would get report of the Dawn Leaks either on coming Monday or Tuesday and it would then be submitted to the prime minister.

He said that the government was under attack ever since the day it came to power and mentioned sit-ins which were started a few months after it started work. “Our performance should be compared with the previous government on matters of security and improved economy. Despite the difficulties being faced by us, we will continue to move ahead,” he said.

He said that it was the federal government which initiated operation against militants in Karachi, but it was unfortunate that after every three months, role of the Rangers was made controversial. He said that people acknowledged improved security situation in Karachi. To a question about load-shedding, he said the government was making all out efforts to enhance power generation through different means.

Around 6,000mw electricity was expected to be added to the national grid by December this year, to help control loadshedding and provide relief to the people. Earlier, the minister visited under-construction 500-bed Wah General Hospital which would be the biggest and the best hospital of not only Wah and Taxila but also of the entire Rawalpindi division.