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PTI Calls off Protests as SC to Announce Verdict Tomorrow

Islamabad (July 27, 2017): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has taken back its announcement to hold symbolic protests across various cities of the country to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The call off came right after media reported that Panama case verdict will be announced on Friday. The original 5-member bench including Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Gulzar will announce the decision at 11:30am tomorrow.

According to the SC Release, the Five Member Bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan will announce its verdict in the Panama Papers implementation case at 11:30am on Friday.The decision of the implementation case will be announced by a five-member bench comprising Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Sh. Azmat Saeed, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan.

In his remarks during the last hearing, Justice Ejaz stated that the bench was already reviewing the matter of the prime minister’s disqualification, while Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan remarked that the court would not back down from its decision.

The apex court had concluded hearing the case and reserved its judgement on July 21.

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After the counsels of the parties concluded their arguments and counter arguments, the bench had reserved the verdict on the a case, which might have far reaching impact on the politics and future of the country.

The JIT, formed in light of the apex court’s April 20 judgment to probe the Sharif family’s money trail, submitted its 60-day investigation report to the court on July 10. The report highlighted the failure of the Sharif family to provide a money trail for its London apartments and claimed the prime minister and his children own assets beyond their known sources of income.Following the report’s submission, the special bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, issued notices to the parties to submit their responses.

The decision was reserved on July 21 by the bench after submission and hearing of responses by the involved parties.

The petitioners included Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed and Jamaat-e-Isami head Sirajul Haq while the respondents include the prime minister, his family members, and several government officials and departments.Hearing the Panama Papers case since last year, a five-judge Supreme Court bench delivered its much-anticipated verdict in the case on April 20.

In a 3-2 split decision, the majority judges determined that the available evidence was insufficient to disqualify the prime minister outright and directed for the formation of a JIT to investigate the case and collect evidence, if any, showing that “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif or any of his dependents or benamidar owns, possesses or acquired assets or any interest therein disproportionate to their known means of income”.

The apex court also observed that after the JIT’s final report is presented, “the matter of disqualification [of Nawaz Sharif] shall be considered”.

PTI leaders had previously announced that they will place protest camps across different cities of the country from tomorrow. Their aim was to force PM Nawaz resign before the Supreme Court gives its final verdict. Several PTI leaders have claimed that the press conference of Chaudhry Nisar today has damaged the ruling PML-N as he declared to esign the day SC announces Panama case verdict.

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