Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Tuesday reiterated his stance over Supreme Court's verdict in Panama Papers case, saying the court decision to oust him was 'against the spirit of leading principles of justice.' Presiding over an informal meeting of the party's senior leaders as well as cabinet ministers of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi including Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Sharif also expressed displeasure over the poor government strategy during the Faizabad operation on November 25 against protesters and ordered to identify the officials involved in mishandling the operation which embarrassed the government.
Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Minister of State for Interior Affairs Talal Chaudhry briefed him on the Faizabad operation. The sources said that Nawaz Sharif was visibly unhappy over the handling of the situation and the poor government strategy to deal with the protesters, adding that the failed crackdown brought embarrassment upon the party's government.
Sharif, who is also president of the ruling PML-N, asked the ministers to fix responsibility for the crisis. The interior minister, however, stated that the operation was carried out by the district administration on the directives of Islamabad High Court, adding he wanted to get more time for resolving the issue through dialogue.
He also told Nawaz Sharif that the attitude of parliamentary parties was 'disappointing' on the issue of Law Minister Zahid Hamid. Nawaz Sharif also discussed the party's internal situation in the wake of the Faizabad operation with senior party leaders after reports of various PML-N parliamentarians who have submitted resignations with a cleric in protest against the government's crackdown on protesters.
Speaking separately to the party workers at Punjab House after his appearance before the accountability court, the ousted prime minister referred to the apex court's July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case, saying that the decision to disqualify him was not taken on merit and it was against the leading principles of justice. He vowed to continue his struggle for democracy with the support of party workers and people. He said that all civilized countries in the world have progressed through democracy and dictatorships have failed to deliver everywhere.
"What has been happening in the country for the past 70 years is very unfortunate," he said, adding, "Elected primers were removed, sent to jails or exiled and even hanged." He added that 'not a single prime minister was allowed to complete his term in the country's democratic history. Earlier, Sharif also discussed prevailing political situation as well as the government's performance with regard to development projects in the informal consultative meeting which was also attended by Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb, Federal Minister Daniyal Azizi, Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Maryam Nawaz, Senator Asif Kirmani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Musadik Malik, Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz and others.
The issue of delimitation and the PML-N's public contact campaign also came under discussion during the meeting. The PML-N central working committee meeting is also convened to meet in Islamabad on December 04, which would be presided over by Nawaz Sharif. The meeting would further deliberate upon the organizational activities as well as the mass contact drive by Nawaz Sharif.
Before leaving for Lahore along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz, Sharif also held a separate meeting with former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and discussed with him prevailing political situation as well as party's internal matters. Talking to reporters at Punjab House, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurgenzeb said that Nawaz Sharif is 'not happy' about the current political situation of the country.
She said that Nawaz Sharif would address the upcoming public meeting in Quetta on the invitation of Mehmood Khan Achakzai, chief of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party. To a question, she said that Nawaz Sharif would also visit her ailing wife Kulsoom Nawaz in London after attending a public meeting in Quetta.