Foreseeing imminent disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for ten years and his children's imprisonment for 14 years in Panama Papers case, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) called upon the National Assembly to get ready for electing a new prime minister. Talking to media persons outside the Supreme Court, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said that Panama Papers case is expected to be concluded on Friday (today), after which verdict would be announced in the case and the court will surely punish the criminals.
He further predicted that the father [Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif] will be disqualified for 10 years, while his children will be sentenced to jail for 14 years. The inquiry and investigations of the case have been completed and the PTI is just waiting for the verdict now, he added.
Chaudhry said that PML-N wants the court to send the case to accountability court and if it happens, there will be only two options left; arrest of the Prime Minister and his family members or they will seek bail before arrest. "Does one expects the sitting PM to go to courts daily to secure bail for himself?" he asked. He further said that Supreme Court also dropped a hint towards the fake documents submitted by Maryam Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz and there is a possibility that they can get a jail sentence for faking documents and misleading court.
"These documents should be used for making toys for children," said Chaudhry, adding that the government is trying its best to hide the crimes of Nawaz Sharif but the court will punish the "criminal" for sure. He further said that PEMRA chairman should take action against those channels which presented Sharif family's new-cum-old documents as breaking news stories.
Chaudhry claimed that the nation will soon hear the good news, and those who have committed crimes will be punished accordingly. He commented that the Prime Minister and his cabinet are out of mind and going mad due to the shocks they have encountered during the course of proceeding and JIT report.
He claimed that it is unfortunate for the country that rulers who do not consider forgery, fraud and money laundering as offences are imposed on the country. The Prime Minister will be disqualified and the matter would be referred to the accountability court as well, he added.
Commenting on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Daniyal Aziz, he claimed that just 48 hours of Nawaz Sharif's government are left but he is given a ministry yet. The PTI leader further said that Prime Minister's son-in-law Captain Safdar (retd) has no counsel in the court to represent him. It was asked in the court that who is representing Captain Safdar (retd), to which the startling response made that he has no legal representation.
Earlier talking to media persons, PTI leader Naeem ul Haq called upon the National Assembly to get ready to elect a new prime minister. Haq alleged that the Prime Minister produced fraudulent documents before the Supreme Court. "The Supreme Court will disqualify Nawaz Sharif under Articles 62 and 63," Haq claimed, adding that the Sharifs have been providing false information in bid to render the joint investigation team's (JIT) report controversial.
The date of birth of the PM is different in Dubai and Pakistani documents. The discrepancies exist in the documents provided by Sharifs, he claimed. He also termed the PM House a hub of all fraudulent schemes. "Prime Minister House has become a centre of forgery but the apex court is aware that PM Nawaz is involved in fraudulent activities to save his premiership," he alleged.
He further said that a criminal case should be lodged against Nawaz Sharif and an exemplary punishment should be awarded to him. He said that the PM broke all records by lying to the nation. Emir Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Siraj-ul-Haq, said that the government lawyers are presenting weak and unconvincing argument, adding that the yelling is not going to give any credibility to their false claims.
He said Nawaz Sharif would greatly favour the nation by stepping down, and the only solution to this problem is that Sharif family should speak truth. Haq said the beleaguered government sought to take more time as it failed to prove its case on charges of corruption. He said that trade and politics should not be mixed.
He said, "We want to see accountability in our country because real democracy needs accountability and we would like that the verdict should be in the favour of the nation. We want to see the funeral of the corruption." He said that time and again Supreme Court offered opportunities to Sharif family to prove their innocence but the PML-N failed to submit the money trial.
Awami Muslim League (AML) chief, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, said that PML-N brings new documents whenever the Panama Papers case nears conclusion. He remarked that case is over for Sharif family.
He continued that the Iqama issued by UAE government to the Premier, which was revealed by the findings of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), will not let Nawaz escape this case.
He said those who advised Nawaz Sharif not to step down have dug his political grave. Those who are planning to defeat Imran Khan and Sheikh Rasheed in 2018 general election should forget about next year, as things will be decided in 2017, claimed Rasheed, adding that Nawaz Sharif has defiled his political face and now it is only a matter of few days.