Political parties Friday expressed mixed reaction to accountability court decision in Avenfield case against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rejected the verdict while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) welcomed it.
Sharing the party's reaction with media soon after the accountability court sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to 10-years imprisonment, his daughter Maryam Nawaz to seven years and son-in-law Captain Safdar (Retd) to a one year in prison, PML-N spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb said that the 'party rejects the decision.'
"This decision will have no impact on Nawaz Sharif's political career and his popularity. Such decision comes and history responds accordingly," she said, adding that Nawaz Sharif, who is currently in London, will return to the country.
Contrary to the party's spokesperson's reaction, former Prime Minister and senior PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said: "The PML-N has always accepted the court decisions." "The PML-N is fully active in all constituencies and would win the upcoming general election with majority," he expressed the optimism.
Maryam Nawaz took to the Twitter to give her reaction to the court decision, saying that Nawaz Sharif is returning to Pakistan but attempts are being made to stop him. "Nawaz Sharif is coming that's why all efforts are being made to stop him. Today was the last attempt and God willing it will be also futile like the past," she said in her reaction to the court verdict.
She said that the resolve to fight against "injustice" has increased following the verdict. "You [Nawaz] choose Pakistan over your own life. The nation is with you and victory will be yours," Maryam said in yet another tweet. Spokesperson PTI Fawad Chaudhry welcomed the court's decision against the former prime minister and his family members, saying that the decision indicates that accountability of powerful people has begun.
He also appreciated the role of investigation agencies in taking the case to its logical conclusion. "We hope that the PML-N will also accept the decision and move forward like a political party," he hoped. PPP senior leader and former leader of the opposition in National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah, while reacting, questioned the timing of the decision being close to the general election and rejected the court verdict.
"Announcing the decision so close to the general election can have multiple meanings," he said, adding that the verdict should have been announced three months before. Another senior PPP leader and Leader of the Opposition in Senate, Senator Sherry Rehman rejected the comparison of the court decision being made by some commentators on social media with Supreme Court's 1978 decision of awarding death sentence to the then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
"I'm sorry we don't distribute sweets at anyone's misfortune or verdict, but SZAB [Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto] went to the gallows at the hands of Pakistan's worst dictator; refused to ask for pardon. He didn't run, he didn't hide. This is a ridiculous comparison. Political martyrdom is a bloody crown to wear," Sherry Rehman stated in a tweet.
Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq said that the court decision should not have any impact on holding of the scheduled July 25 general election, adding that the election should be held on time and there should not be any delay.
Haq, one of the petitioners in Panama Papers case, also reiterated his demand to hold all the 436 people listed in the Panama Papers accountable, adding that an across the board accountability is necessary for the future of the country.
President Awami Muslim League (AML) Sheikh Rashid termed court's verdict as the 'end of Nawaz Sharif family's political career,' saying that it was for the first time in the country's history that the mighty and the influential have been sentenced to imprisonment.
"It is crystal clear that Maryam forged signature in the Panama Papers case. All the documents were forged by her," Rashid, who was also one of the petitioners in Panama Papers case, further said. The business community also shared reaction on the court decision and feared that it will have negative impacts on the already staggering economic crisis. "It will have negative impacts on the stock exchange and on the already devalued currency," said Atif Ikram Sheikh, Vice President Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He further said that the economic instability will further continue and the ultimate sufferers will be the people of Pakistan on further devaluation of the currency and price hike.
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