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I am Not Being Given Legal Rights To Fight Cases: NS

Lahore (June 11, 2018): Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday said that he was told to find a new lawyer and given conditions that no legal counsel would be able to satisfy in order to represent him.

Addressing Media in Lahore former Prime Minister blamed that he is not being given his legal rights to fight cases against him.

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Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday addressed the media after his counsel Khawaja Haris recused himself from representing the former prime minister in the corruption references filed by NAB against the Sharif family.

He said a situation has been created where he is now being denied legal counsel as well. He told journalists in Lahore that no other defendant in any serious case had appeared 100 times before the court.He said that his fundamental rights were being violated as no lawyer would take up a case where he is not even allowed time to prepare and is asked to appear even on the weekends.

“Does the chief justice not know that justice rushed is justice crushed?” Nawaz asked in the press conference.

Holding the prosecution responsible for delays in the references, he said that it was a matter of record that his lawyers, including Khwaja Haris, had never caused delays in proceedings.Nawaz said a situation was being created where he is now being denied legal counsel as well. The former prime minister told journalists, that no other defendant in an serious case has appeared 100 times before the court.

The former premier asked, “Is it more important to complete the legal formalities or to announce the verdict before the elections?”

Sharif said that it was impossible for any lawyer to review thousands of pages of case files to satisfy the conditions in order to represent him properly.“It is impossible for a lawyer to take on a case at this stage and begin arguments the next day. Such an environment is being created that I am deprived of a legal counsel as well,” the former premier told journalists, likening the present situation to a mockery of justice.

He told journalists in Lahore that no other defendant in any serious case had appeared 100 times before the court.

Concluding his press conference Nawaz Sharif told journalists, “If a verdict before July 25 elections is a ‘need’ or a ‘compulsion’ then do it,” adding that it would be akin to making a mockery of legal requirements, the law, human rights and judicial norms.Earlier, talking to the newsmen outside Accountability Court, Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday said that he has not submitted any plea in the apex court for permission to travel London to meet his ailing wife Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.

Nawaz Sharif said he only requested accountability court but it was rejected, however, he will think of going to London during Eid holidays, he added.

Replying to a question asked about former President Parvez Musharraf, who is saying will return to homeland after bail in all cases against him, Nawaz Sharif said he won’t say anything in this regard.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday has said that the announcement of final Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ticket holders for upcoming elections will take some time.

The ex-PM also avoided question-related to former Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar’s statement.

Earlier, Legal Counsel of Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Khawaja Haris on Monday excused from representing Nawaz Sharif from in the NAB references filed against his family.

Announcing his decision to withdraw his legal services to Nawaz during the hearing of Al-Azizia reference, Haris said the Supreme Court had ‘dictated on completing the trial within a month.’

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In a written note to the apex court, Haris said that the top court had not accepted his stance on the three references. “As a professional lawyer, I think the arguments for all of the three references [against Nawaz and his family] could be presented together,” he observed. The lawyer further remarked that he was dictated to work beyond court hours. Haris was also directed to appear before the court on the weekends, the written note said.

Nawaz’s former legal counsel remarked that he could not continue to work in the present conditions.

The three references are possibly faced with a delay till Nawaz hires the services of another lawyer.

Yesterday, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on June 10 had directed the accountability court to announce its verdict on all three corruption references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family within a month.

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During the proceeding, the petitioner said that concluding remarks are underway in Avenfield reference, Wajid Zia is being prosecuted in Al Azizia reference while the statement of investigation officer is yet to be recorded.

The verdict in the case cannot be declared yet, therefore, the extension is needed, he added.Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar directed NAB court judge Justice Mohammad Bashir to complete the hearing as early as possible as the accused and the people are in immense tension.

Later, talking to media, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) information secretary Fawad Chaudhry claimed that the withdrawal of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s counsel Khawaja Harris from NAB references is a bid to delay the case.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Fawad stressed Nawaz should neither be provided any deal nor ease.

He maintained that no Pakistani court, media and agency was involved in Panama scandal. “Imran Khan asked the NAB chairman to initiate probe into the matter. From where Sharif family obtained money to buy assets abroad?” he asked.

“A prosecutor should be provided to Nawaz in case Khawaja Harris fails to complete the case,” added Fawad.

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He went on to say that the interim prime minister should take the nation into confidence on electricity crisis. “Was the electricity some sort of Biryani that PML-N took with them in a shopping bag?” he taunted.

In a surprising move, defence lawyer Khawaja Harris excused himself from representing Nawaz Sharif in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references.

Khawaja Harris said that the Supreme Court did not accept his stance of completing the trial in six weeks. I was being dictated even after judicial hours, he added.

He also expressed reservations over holding court proceedings on Saturdays and Sundays, saying that he cannot work under such circumstances.On Sunday, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had directed the accountability court to announce its verdict on all three corruption references against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family within a month.

During the hearing, Haris had petitioned for completing the trial in six weeks.

Announcing his decision to withdraw his legal services to Nawaz during the hearing of Al-Azizia reference today, Haris said the Supreme Court had ‘dictated on completing the trial within a month.’said he was told to find a new lawyer and given conditions that no legal counsel would be able to satisfy in order to represent him.

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