“Justice denied anywhere, diminishes justice everywhere”
Perhaps the administration will find a more receptive way than it has to date for the argument that judicial attempts to peer into the chief executive’s transactions are inappropriate.
A substantial majority of the judges who sit in the Supreme Court delivered a rather “remarkable” judgment last week: “Imran Khan will have to show the trail of money, utilised for the political party, his property and Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital”. Sure; it’s required for clean and clear justice, but it’s not national exchequer, it’s not the public’s money. If we talk about the donations, nobody can challenge its utilisation – after all, its proper utilisation gifted the nation an amazingly extraordinary institution for cancer care. Everyone concerned should keep this in mind.
Earlier, perhaps they mistakably had stated that the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his children are not to be believed or they are telling a lies or in other words they are guilty. But, no one had the courage to say it directly. Alas.
First of all some clarifications are important;
As per Sohail Itehad’s statement; Imran Khan’s bungalow is built on top of a hill in Mora Nur that has some 300 kanals, with a great view of Rawal Lake. This was “shamlaat” land and acquired cheaply, as nobody was willing to build anything that high. The ex-Banker Rashid Khan bought the lower 50 kanals at the same price. The property agent, who’s a well-known figure of Islamabad, stated that Jemima was interested in living there and had her architect flown from England to design and landscape the place. IK has admitted that she paid for it and that he repaid her later after selling his flat in London etc. This was between the husband and wife and was not public money to be investigated or incur disqualification.
It’s a very old technique when desiring to disrupt and sabotage any process or problem, to engage the applicant or the opponent in some doldrums, true or false. The game is being played by Nawaz Sharif through Hanif Abbassi, who himself is already involved in “ephedrine” case, which is very serious, but people like Abbassi, loyal to the king than the king himself, always come forward to show their loyalty or perhaps to gain some benefits. He should thank NS and our legal system, which provided him shelter being a pawn of the powerful, and is keeping the matter pending up-till it dies its own death. But, Abbassi forgot that Imran Khan has nothing to explain about the national exchequer, it’s his boss, Nawaz Sharif who can be held accountable by the nation about his arrangement of funds for the property purchased at London and the off-shore companies, because he has been playing with the national exchequer for the last 27 years.
In addition to the above explanation about IK’s property, all pawns of NS like Abbassi, Danial Aziz, Talal Chaudhry, Maryam Aurangzeb, Saad Rafique and all others concerned, politicians or judiciary or management, must read the following few lines for their information and awareness on facts.
A few words for Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital are essential to be added here;
* It’s the only “Cancer Hospital” according to the international standards, in Pakistan.
* It’s the only hospital in Pakistan where special children are adjusted and provided jobs.
* It’s the only hospital providing medical facility free of charge to 80% cancer patients.
* It’s the only hospital with the best of the doctors, who give proper care to the patients, and are not allowed separate private practice.
* It’s the only hospital with best trained nursing staff.
* It’s the only hospital in Pakistan without VIP culture.
* It’s the only hospital in Pakistan, maintaining its standards and cleanliness, even after 23 years of service, rather getting better every day.
* It’s the only hospital in Pakistan with a structured system.
* It’s the only hospital rather only institution, where canteen prices are lower than the outer market.
* It’s the only hospital where all medical facility is provided under one roof. Attendants don’t have to rush to the pharmacies to bring the medicines and surgical items, as per doctor’s requirement.
* It’s the only hospital in whole of the country where parking is free.
* It’s the only institution of Pakistan with a proper structure in every field of the hospital with crystal clear accounting system.
This hospital is a wonderful gift from Imran Khan and a blessing for the nation.
No other government including the Nawaz Government could ever construct a hospital of this standard in the country; rather, already working hospitals have gone into shaggy position because of the government policy. Basically destruction of hospitals and its management system started way back in 1991-1992 when the Nawaz Government, converted all the hospitals into autonomous bodies replacing “Medical Superintendents” with the “Chief Executives” having full controls, financial and other. The demolition started right at that time, a central control was essential.
Now, coming over to the main topic; while involving Imran Khan into this legal zigzag, it appears we will find out some day that the Prime Minister’s lawyers will likely be asking the court to overturn the JIT’s opinion. Perhaps the administration will find a more receptive way than it has to date for the argument that judicial attempts to peer into the chief executive’s transactions are inappropriate.
But it’s worth another look at the astonishing and incredible expression in Nisar’s opinion concluding that Imran’s “true reason” for the Panama papers objection was not protecting the nation’s looted exchequer but making good on a campaign promise borne of anti-Nawaz bias.
Earlier, it was extraordinary for a federal court to tell the Prime Minister directly that he’s lying, though only two judges made this remark, but the public was happy for such bold remarks that too for the strongest personality.
540-page opinion, joined in full by five judges, opens with the finding that Nawaz’s foreign transactions are dripped with bigotry and unfairness intentions, yet they were reluctant to announce unanimous decision and opted an avoiding way by forming a “Joint Investigation Team”, perhaps, to avoid the burden of decision against Nawaz Sharif. The three dissenting judges, all nominated by the Chief Justice, seemed stunned not just by the boldness of their colleagues but by what has happened to their court, which was once one of the nation’s most conservative and respected.
The world is not made anew every morning, nor are we able to awake without the vivid memory of these statements. We cannot shut our eyes to such evidence when it stares us in the face, for there’s none as blind as they that won’t see.
Every time the PM asked Imran to go to the Parliament or the Supreme Court for his complaints, he was never heard nor allowed to give his point of view. Neither did the speaker start any motion against his complaint except to switch-off his or his party men’s mic. When the matter was brought to the Supreme Court, firstly they tried to avoid but may be against some public pressure, they had to accept it for hearing. People of Pakistan should feel sorry that the highest forum of justice opted a technical way to avoid any positive step against the corruption of the highest administrative office, marked by an international organisation with proves.
Imran Khan is a man of determination, people of Pakistan have a lot of hope from him, but at the same time, it’s very clear, public doubts the Nawaz Sharif’s motives.
Justification to form JIT for national exchequer misdoings was secondary to its primary purpose and was offered as more of a ‘litigating position’ than as the actual purpose of justice. We again encounter the affront of invidious discrimination, this time layered under the guise of the highest forum of law, unfettered congressionally delegated authority for justice. The present attack of Nawaz League on Imran Khan is no more than naked invidious discrimination against Imran Khan.
The Supreme Court surely will shudder at the clear reply of Imran Khan, so long as the order is issued for a trail of funds, for legitimate and bona-fide reason, the courts should neither look towards government instructions nor try to avoid the issue and in exercise of that discretionary powers, test it by balancing its justification.
It is the pivotal obligation of the court, that justice be done. The justice most often evades, when the court is divided, that makes a decision controversial. But this time it’s especially important for the nation, in both the cases.
