The PML-N and PTI’s legal fights

What stands weakened is the system

The leaders of the PML-N and PTI are reaping what they have sown. Both have shown an unbecoming proclivity to take political cases to courts instead of resolving them through institutions available in democracies. Impatience to change the government during its tenure is one reason for recourse to courts. In 2012 Nawaz Sharif dragged Yousaf Raza Gillani to the SC over the so called Memo-gate case instead of taking the issue to Parliament. This time Imran Khan took the Panama case to the apex court. In a tit for tat move, a PML-N leader filed a case against Imran Khan and Jahangir Tareen for not disclosing their assets to the ECP.

As the two cases proceeded it was discovered that both sides lacked a penchant for financial uprightness. Nawaz Sharif failed to satisfy the apex court over the money trail that led his scions to acquire fabulous residential houses in upscale London and a number of lucrative businesses. The mounting nervousness in the PML-N ranks was reflected in objections to the members of the JIT chosen by the three member bench of the SC and in threats extended by a PML-N senator to those conducting the accountability. While the latter has been made to resign like Mushahidullah Khan and Pervez Rashid, the message has been conveyed.

Imran Khan too is finding it difficult to explain how he managed to acquire the Banigala estate, sought benefit from tax amnesty scheme not meant for him and why Niazi Services Ltd continued to exist years after the sale of his London apartment. Further, he is still unable to establish that the foreign funding his party received was from legal sources. Both Sharif and Khan can be declared unfit from taking part in politics if found unfit to be considered Sadiq and Ameen under Article 62 and 63 of the constitution. The two Articles could have been modified and made more exact had the political parties managed to overcome their pretence of religiosity. Unless political parties learn to settle their differences inside Parliament, display financial uprightness the system will remain hostage to non-political actors.