Moments after the apex court on Friday ruled that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had been disqualified for life, State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said the verdict was the same as Nawaz’s trial court case.
“This decision is similar to Supreme Court rulings, which took former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to the gallows and led to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto,” the information minister said while addressing the media in Islamabad.
Marriyum stated that time and again, democratically elected leaders of Pakistan wee unceremoniously removed from their post. “This joke has already been played on previous premiers and all 17 prime ministers of Pakistan have faced a similar fate.”
“Today’s decision is the same as Nawaz’s trial court case,” she added maintaining that a decision has been made on a trial which is still under way.
She said, “Decisions against Nawaz are made first and trials are conducted later.”
“The verdict has started a phase of Nawaz’s politics which our enemies should be afraid of,” the information minister added.
Claiming that not a “single rupee’s corruption has been proven against the former premier”, the information minister said, “The case on which Nawaz has been disqualified for life is still under way as is the case, which disqualified him from his premiership.”
“The NAB court trial is incomplete and Wajid Zia has also said there is no documental evidence to show that Nawaz took money from his son’s company,” she said.
“Nawaz was first disqualified as prime minister, then removed as head of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), his party was barred from participating in Senate elections and now they have ruled against him from holding a public office for life,” the minister said.
Reiterating that the PML-N quaid is still facing trials, Marriyum said, “The premier was elected through the votes of the people and the decision regarding his disqualification also lies with the people.” She went on to say: “A prime minister who ended terrorism and load shedding from the country and initiated development projects has been disqualified for life.”
Responding to a question, she said, “We all respect Pakistan’s constitutional institutions and respecting the Supreme Court is necessary for us all.”
Published in Daily Times, April 14th 2018.
