Pakistan Supreme Court moved to restore Nawaz as Premier

The Asian Age.  | Shafqat Ali

World, Asia

The justice said the court had to run legal proceeding and that this act of non-seriousness would not be tolerated.

Nawaz Sharif (Photo: AP)

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Supreme Court was moved on Tuesday to restore former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who was ousted on July 28 by the top court for hiding assets.

The application, submitted by a citizen Shahid Orakzai, stated that the decision of Nawaz Sharif’s ouster had suspended 40 articles of the Constitution, and destroyed the federal system.

The petition prayed the SC to revert the decision of former premier’s disqualification that it announced on July 28, and to stop National Accountability Bureau (NAB) proceedings against the Sharif family.

It has been requested to form a form a seven-member bench to review Panama Papers case verdict, as it is SC’s constitutional responsibility to protect the federal system.

The petitioner said the judges of the apex court did not have the insight into constitutional procedure, and no lawyer in Panama case informed the judges about the federal system.

The application said the court’s decision not only dissolved the cabinet, but also left the President alone, therefore, Nawaz Sharif should be restored.

Meanwhile, an Accountability Court here reissued summons to Sharif family for September 26 over references filed by NAB in London flats and Azizia steel mill cases as they failed to appear on Tuesday.

During the hearing, a comprehensive report related to Nawaz Sharif, his children and son-in-law Mohammed Safdar’s summons was submitted in the court. NAB prosecutor said that Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz’s security in-charge claimed that he was ordered to not receive the notice.

The justice said the court had to run legal proceeding and that this act of non-seriousness would not be tolerated. The court also dismissed NAB’s plea to issue arrest warrant for Sharif family and called on the members on September 26. The court directed to paste summon notice on the wall of Nawaz Sharif’s house.

Nawaz Sharif, his children Maryam, Hassan and Hussain are currently in London because of the health issues of Kulsoom Nawaz.

Earlier, the court had issued summon to Sharif family for September 19 in Flagship Investments reference. The former PM and his sons were nominated as accused in the reference that deals with the ownership of 16 offshore companies.

Supreme Court had directed NAB to prepare references in which one was regarding Al-Azizia Steel Mill while the other two were about London flats and 16 offshore companies held by the Sharif family.

Read more...