Nawaz Sharif address to lawyers convention

Lahore : Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has asked question upon the verdict of Panama Case and said it never happened in the history of law that the court grant what was not prayed in the petition, WhatsApp call was made to nominate officers for JIT and Supreme Court judge was deputed to monitor the trial in NAB court.

 

Addressing the Lawyers convention at Aiwan-e- Iqbal, Lahore the ex -Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that for many years I’ve been fighting for the case of the people and democracy.

“You all are aware of the Panama story; my name wasn’t in the list. You all know I volunteered for a commission led by a respectable Supreme Court judge when the leaks

occurred. One decision came on April 20 and another on July 28. But a few questions still remain,” he said.

 

The ousted PM asked a few questions that revolved

around his disqualification .

 

The former premier asked if WhatsApp calls ever been used to nominate people for such an investigation,

has the Supreme Court ever made a joint investigation team (JIT) for such a case,

do secret agencies work beyond terrorism and national security, has a 3-member bench ever supervised the work of a JIT,

did any petitioner approach the apex court regarding the Dubai company and my salary issue, can any court undermine the law, in our 70-year history,

has it ever happened that four verdicts come out in one case, can those judges be included in another bench who have already made their decision,

could those judges base their decision on a JIT report who did not oversee the JIT hearings,

in the entire judicial history has a monitoring judge been nominated to give verdict against

someone,

is this matter according to the independence of judiciary,

can NAB be given any court direction to work accordingly?

 

“Who but legal fraternity members know better,” he commented.

 

Sharif recalled that when the petitions were filed they were termed frivolous by the apex court. He also laid out the procedures required by NAB before filing a reference, alluding

that they are not being followed in his case.

 

Earlier, Sharif recalled the ‘special’ relationship between the country and members of the legal fraternity with regards to rule of law and preservation of democracy. “Iqbal was also a

lawyer. Jinnah as well. One was a dreamer and the other a doer,” he said, adding that the movement against dictators was all led by lawyers.

The former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Quaid reached the venue earlier to attend the All Pakistan Lawyers’ Convention.

 

Sharif was accompanied by the Punjab Governor Rafiq Rajwana and Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid, among other officials.