Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Friday appreciated Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar's remarks on the upcoming general elections, urging the CJP to ensure a level playing field for all parties. Talking to media persons here outside the Accountability Court hearing corruption cases against him and his family members, Sharif said that he liked and endorsed the remarks of the Chief Justice that there is no room to delay general election because it is not permitted in the Constitution of Pakistan. Sharif was accompanied by Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and Chief of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Mehmood Khan Achakzai.
He said that the Chief Justice needs to fulfill the requisites of free and fair election. "We believe that there is no conducive environment for holding free and fair election," he said, adding that all political parties should be afforded an equal opportunity to participate in elections. He said his party, civil society and Pakistani nation will not allow any delay in general election.
He said the standards of justice should be same for all and the practice to give clean-chit to one person and tie hands of other behind his back should be stopped. Sharif said that the Chief Justice should also take suo motu notice of recent no-confidence motion against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief minister of Balochistan as well as horse-trading in the election of Senate chairman.
The former prime minister said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started making fake cases and targeting his party's key leaders before election. "The NAB has become an institution to harass our leaders and my party has serious reservations in this regard," he said, adding that making fake cases against PML-N leaders prior to general elections is pre-poll rigging.
Sharif said he will urge Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to take steps for making the National Accountability Ordinance ineffective during the period of the caretaker setup. "The NAB is a black law which was framed to punish politicians, and it is especially against me," he claimed. He said the PML-N will abolish this law but not at this stage when he and his family members are being tried. Replying to a question about Co-Chairman Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari, he said that PPP should first start getting more than 400 to 500 votes in Punjab and then they should talk with respect to formation of its government in the province.
To another question, he said if the time comes to give a call to supporters to save democracy, no one can stop him from doing so. "If I remain in or outside the jail, the people will give a response whenever I will give call to them," he declared. He downplayed a question regarding threats to his life, saying it is a routine matter. "Serious threats to my life were also communicated to me during our long march from Islamabad to Lahore," he added.
Later, Mahmood Khan Achakzai talking to media persons said that it is the job of the Parliament to put in place a legislation and the role of the Supreme Court is to interpret it. He said, "We are standing here with the Constitution and will continue to do the same. Judges and lawmakers take oath of allegiance to the Constitution. If the parliamentarians are talking about the protection of Constitution then the judges should do the same as both have taken oath that they will protect Constitution."
Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Bashir could not conduct the hearing on Friday, as he was unwell. Duty Judge Arshad Malik only adjourned the matter till April 9.