Islamabad (July 28, 2017): PMl-N lawmakers on Friday expressed reservations over the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif and said it is likely that review petition will be filed.
The press conference was held by Barrister Zafarullah, Ahsan Iqbal, Saad Rafique, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Zaid Hamid.
According to the details, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leaders on Friday held a press conference to provide a response to the Panama case verdict. The PML-N leaders said that the parliament won t be dissolved. Khawaja Saad Rafique also said that the next PM will also be from PML-N.
Click Play Button To Watch The Complete Press Conference of PML N Leaders
Barrister Zafarullah said on the occasion that the judges of the honourable Supreme Court didn t listen to the objections raised by the Sharif family on the formation of Joint Investigation Team (JIT).
Barrister Zafarullah said that the judgment was unprecedented and he had never heard of any such precedents in the past.
“Despite reservations JIT was only accepted to show the opponents that we are not escaping from JIT,” Zafarullah said while addressing post SC decision press conference in Islamabad.
He underscored the during the JIT investigation Sharif family had raised his objection against JIT but Sc did not pay attention over it.
He continued, “Three judges hear the Panama implementation case but verdict was given by five judges, therefore decision does not fulfill the requirement of justice,” he said adding that the JIT investigation was vigilance by the Supreme Court judges that put it in suspicious.
“Since 1947 till date, not one prime minister of Pakistan has completed the five year tenure. Call it irony of fate or mistakes on one ground or the other,” said the Barrister Zafarullah.
Zahid Hamid termed the decision unjust said that the objections raised by PML-N over the JIT had not removed during the investigation.
“The verdict of the court says that although the prime minister denied having received any salary from FZE Limited but since it was receivable, PM stood disqualified for misdeclaration of assets. However, he didn’t quote the very next line of PM’s statement that he had stated before the dissolution of the company that he didn’t intend to draw the salary. Once PM declared that he didn’t intend to draw the salary, it was unpayable and thus unreceivable”, said Zahid Hamid.
Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said that the disqualification hasn’t come on any charges of corruption, kickbacks or commissions. He said that PM was disqualified over a company that had been dissolved three years back, in which he held a ceremonial post and withdrew no salaries from.
Saad Rafique said that since PM had been removed from his post, now he’d prove more lethal for the forces working against democracy.
“We have struggled for this country and this struggle wouldn’t go in vain. Our ancestors spent their lives in colonial jails and we faced jails in dictatorial regimes”, he said.
The federal minister added that the person who had come to power on the back of 14.8 million votes, was disqualified over a technical error.
Khawaja Saad Rafique said that SC decision made the day not historic. he asked what was the crime PML-N and Nawaz Sharif done on that they were punished.
“This decision is not acceptable and we will file a review petition in court,” said Saad Rafique.
The PML-N leaders also said the removal of the premier was not on the basis of Panama Papers.
“Nawaz Sharif was not disqualified on the basis of Panama Papers,” said Saad Rafique.
He added that it is not the first time the PML-N has been made to bear the brunt of such tactics.
“Imran Khan, you are nothing more than a pawn.”
Rafique added that Imran has tried repeatedly to oust the PML-N government and has used every trick that he could.
He claimed that Nawaz and the PML-N have been punished for bringing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to the country, “just in the same manner we were punished for conducting nuclear tests in 1998”.
“We want civil supremacy in Pakistan and will not go to the court of the people,” said the PML-N stalwart.
‘Will defend mandate of people’
Minister of Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said that it was a proud day for all Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) supporters as charges of corruption worth billions of dollars on their leaders were not proven.
He said that PML-N respected Supreme Court as the party had done a lot of struggle for its independence yet the precedent set was not what they had struggled for.
“The PML-N leaders’ trust in Nawaz Sharif has multiplied after the SC decision, “Ahsan Iqbal said adding that the elected PM of 200 million voters had been disqualified for his service to the nation.
Ahsan Iqbal, during the press conference, said his confidence in his leadership has increased ten-fold after the apex court verdict.
Iqbal said that Nawaz during the meeting today clearly said that the mandate of the people will be defended and the PML-N will complete its tenure.
“The supporters of PML-N should be proud of their leader, as no one has undergone as much scrutiny as Nawaz Sharif and yet nothing was proven against him except that he could have received money from his son but did not,” said Iqbal.
He further said the PTI had alleged billions in corruption, but their claims were not proven.
“After allegations of billions made through corruption, he was disqualified over Rs0.2 million.”
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that they have now put their case infront of the people as the people should be aware that there was no corruption.
He also said that the decision will now be challenged on legal forums now.
“Musharraf tried for eight years but could not prove any corruption against Nawaz Sharif.”
“History will not accept the decision,” said Abbasi.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that there was not a single proof of corruption found on Nawaz Sharif and thus he was disqualified over a salary that he never withdrew.
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