ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), on Monday, urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take suo moto notice of the allegations levelled by former chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan apex court Rana Shamim, saying “if former premier Nawaz Sharif can go to jail, then why not the ex-chief justice Saqib Nisar?”
The PML-N reacted sharply to the allegations levelled by former chief justice of GB apex court through an alleged affidavit before an oath commissioner in London that the former chief justice Saqib Nisar had allegedly used his influence to deny bails to former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz before the general elections of July 2018, and demanded a thorough probe into the entire episode.
PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, through a tweet, termed the media reports as “explosive” and “yet another vindication for Nawaz and Maryam in the court of public opinion.”
“Allah has His own way of revealing the truth. It’s yet another vindication of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam in the court of public opinion. Alhamdulillah!” he tweeted.
Speaking at a news conference, senior PML-N leaders including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Khawaja Asif accused the former chief justice Saqib Nisar of influencing the 2018 general elections and asked the apex court to take suo moto notice of the allegations levelled by the ex-chief justice of GB.
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Abbasi maintained that Nawaz Sharif was convicted on “Iqama”, disqualified, and kept him out of the politics. “Only three persons know the facts – former chief justice Saqib Nisar, former chief justice Gilgit-Baltistan Rana Shamim and the current judge of Islamabad High Court Justice (IHC) Justice Amir Farooqui – but the people of Pakistan also have the right to know the fact,” he further maintained, adding that it was not only a matter of keeping Sharif’s conviction to continue but also the “interference” in the elections.
He said that the ex-chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan had recorded his statement about former chief justice Saqib Nisar, before an oath commissioner in London.
“If the country’s chief justice is involved in such kind of activities [interference in election], then where would the people go [for justice] …there are problems, we are repeatedly pointing out that the country’s system is not as per the Constitution,” he stated.
“The country’s system is under influence and the [former] chief justice is involved in it, as stated by another ex-chief justice [of GB]. Do we forget it by taking it lightly? Doesn’t this matter go to the Parliament?” he said, adding that it is the parliament which is appointing these judges.
“Doesn’t the Parliament have the right to ask them,” he asked, adding that these are matters which shape the future of the country. He said that common man is asking if a three-time prime minister is unable to get justice then could he gets justice. “If the highest judge of the country is involved in efforts to ensure that no bail is granted to Nawaz Sharif then just think over the decision given by Judge Mohammad Bashir,” he added. “We have to accept the statement given by Rana Shamim on oath. Now the question arises as what forum is left to determine the truth? Is there anybody to take notice,” he asked.
He also maintained that the statement by the ex-chief justice of GB was “a proof to as to how Imran Khan came into power”. “Now it has become mandatory to go to the depth that chief justice was involved in interfering in the elections. The people of country want these queries to be answered, because the basic problem is when the institutions don’t work within their constitutional ambits then the people have to face inflation and the problems they are facing today,” he added.
“This is our question, the day we got an answer, we would start to believe that there is justice in the country,” he maintained.
To a question, Abbasi demanded that the Supreme Court should take suo moto notice of the allegations made by former chief justice of GB, adding that the matter has shattered the justice system of the country.
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“Our judiciary has taken suo moto notices on many issues in the past and I don’t think there is any other major issue than this, which merits a suo moto notice, as questions have been raised on the conduct of the judiciary and a former chief justice,” he added.
“If Nawaz Sharif can go to jail then why not Saqib Nisar? As the proof has now come out that the ex-chief justice was involved in not granting the bail [to Nawaz and Maryam], now the question arises as to who else was also involved in giving them the punishment? It should also need to be determined. If there is a justice system in the country, and if questions are raised on any decision, then there should be some moral courage in the court to throw these cases out by admitting that there is no proof against Nawaz Sharif,” he said. He said that there should be a logical conclusion of the matter, adding that if Rana Shamim is lying he should be given exemplary punishment and if he is telling the truth, “then the only place for Justice Saqib Nisar is in jail.”
“If we can sack a prime minister in just two weeks, a chief justice can also be asked as to who authorised him to interfere in the elections. This should be a question of the parliament,” he said.
Khawaja Asif said that it has now proved that what “product” in the shape of Imran Khan has been given to the country through a “flawed and rigged process”.
“This product [Prime Minister Imran Khan] has only produced inflation and disaster. The judiciary at the highest level has been compromised. All the constitutional institutions have come under question… The then chief justice and Islamabad High Court seem to be involved and the assembly being the product of that “rigged” election seems to be involved, besides by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Currently, the constitutional building of Pakistan has come under debris and the only solution left is that the constitutional rights of the people should immediately be given back to the people,” he said.
He said that there is a need for electing new assemblies and forming new institutions.
“Who would compensate Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, and all others who were sent to jails? Now it is being exposed gradually what had happened in 2018 and all the “actors” are coming to surface,” he said, adding that Imran Khan has become “bankrupted” morally, politically, and legally. “And our constitutional institutions, as well,” he added.
To a question, he said that the party would take the matter to the parliament, adding that the party would also consult its legal team with regard to legal options.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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