PCO judges cannot give lesson on morality, says Nawaz

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  • Deposed PM says ‘language used by judges and PTI chief Imran Khan is same’
  • Says’ these people want to construct a ’10-storey building on shaky foundations’
  • Accountability judge rejects Sharif family’s request for exemption from personal appearance 

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday took another swipe at the judiciary, questioning the viability of a “morality lesson from judges who took oath under military dictators”.

The deposed PM also reportedly said that “the language used by the senior judges and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is the same”.

Criticising his arch-rival Imran and the judiciary during an interaction with reporters outside the accountability court, Nawaz questioned the fairness of trials initiated against him and asked, “does this not make the whole thing one-sided then”.

“What lesson on morality will the PCO [Provisional Constitutional Order] judges give us,” said Nawaz, adding that he is not the one to make a ‘deal’. He added that no Pakistani should accept these ‘lessons’.

Earlier in the day, the accountability judge rejected a request made by the Sharif family to be allowed exemption from personal appearance in court, and adjourned the hearing till Feb 22.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s proceedings against his re-election as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president following his disqualification, Nawaz Sharif stated, “Now they want to remove me from the party presidency”.

“I’m not involved in any corruption. I don’t accept such verdicts,” said Naaz, adding that God is with those whose intentions and heart is pure.

“These people want to construct a 10-storey building on shaky foundations,” said the three-time premier.

REQUEST REJECTED:

Nawaz, Maryam and Capt (r) Safdar appeared on Thursday in the courtroom of Accountability Court-I Judge Mohammad Bashir to attend the hearing of three corruption references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) — Al-Azizia, Flagship and Avenfield against Sharif family.

During the proceedings, the defence and prosecution presented their respective arguments on the three suspects’ request to be exempted from appearance from February 19 to March 5 as the family has to travel to London to visit Nawaz’s ailing wife, Kulsoom.

Nawaz’s counsel pleaded the court to allow his client to travel to London. However, NAB Deputy Prosecutor General Muzaffar Abbasi opposed the plea citing the nearing of the March deadline by the Supreme Court to wrap up the case.

Abbasi further stated that Nawaz’s two sons are already proclaimed offenders in the case.

Moreover, the accused also signed and received the copies of the two supplementary references filed by NAB against them during the hearing.

The court had earlier reserved the decision on the plea and later rejected it. The hearing of the case has been adjourned until February 22.

Earlier, a five-member bench of the Supreme Court on July 28 had directed NAB to file references against Nawaz and his children in six weeks in the accountability court and directed the trial court to decide the references within six months.

The former premier and his sons, Hassan and Hussain, have been named in all three NAB references, while Maryam and Safdar have been named only in the Avenfield reference.

On Wednesday, the  NAB filed the supplementary references in Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment cases against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his sons, while requesting the Interior Ministry to place the names of Nawaz, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar on the Exit Control List (ECL).

3 COMMENTS

  1. A precarious situation. The Sharifs have totally forgotten about the seriously ill Mrs Nawaz. Looks like she was sent to London to cover-up the time gap like NS himself was out for ‘change of heart’ and away for 45 days. One can see a defiant mood and language used by the disqualified, mentally disturbed and frustrated ex-PM.His party is famous for attacking the courts like did in 97. Very shameful. Is it any service to the Nation, democracy or the society ?

  2. According to many law experts including Irfan Qadir, conduct of the judges has been very much partial and unprofessional sine start of Panama case. Cases are still under trial but judges already using derogatory remarks and written dozens of pages in their decisions in various cases against NS but could only manage to disqualify on the bases of aqama. These tactics already backfired as current Lodrahan elections. Who will be on wrong side if NS gets overwhelming in 2018 elections, people of Pakistan or SC?

    • SC is no party to elections. So far the disqualified PM is concerned, he himself is proud product of a Dictator. Not fair to blame the Judiciary for being biased. Be it PML(N) or PPP, both these ‘Musical Chair Players’ have siphoned trillions of rupees out of the country earned through abuse of power and corruption. 27 Money-mules were busy day and night to siphon foreign currency out of the country – Ayan Ali was one of them. That money belongs to poor masses of the country. Law expert Barrister Aitezaz Ahsan says that the ‘ Aqama’ case is a bigger crime than Panama case itself.

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