ISLAMABAD: Be it memogate or Hudabiya paper mill’s case, the Supreme Court seems to have become a common ground for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) to battle it out.
Before the controversy surrounding the memogate case could die down, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) raised before the SC the question regarding the agreement ostensibly signed between former premier Nawaz Sharif and the Pervez Musharraf regime, enabling Nawaz to leave the country.
“We want to see if the Lahore High Court returned the Hudabiya Paper Mills’ share (belonging to the Sharifs) in violation of the agreement,” submitted NAB Prosecutor General KK Agha before a two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice (CJ) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Agha informed the bench that he believed Nawaz had given the Hudabiya shares to NAB in exchange for the agreement, and hence, the shares should not have been returned to the Sharifs.
NAB challenges LHC verdict
The NAB appeal in the apex court challenges the Lahore High Court’s verdict delivered on October 4 2011 for returning the shares worth Rs115 million. The appeal lists PML-N chief Nawaz, his brother Shahbaz Sharif and at least a dozen family members as respondents.
NAB stated that the LHC committed an error in deciding “that there was no agreement/settlement between Mian Nawaz Sharif and the federal government”. The LHC ignored the SC’s judgment, which clearly proved the existence of such an agreement, according to the appeal.
Agreement nowhere to be seen
When the CJ asked Agha to place the agreement on record, Agha countered that the high court should have made the federal government a party to the proceedings in order to secure the agreement. The CJ replied by asking why the prosecutor-general was unable to obtain a copy considering that a NAB official, Colonel (retd) Muhammad Shabbir, had confiscated the mills’ shares. “You can even ask Nawaz Sharif, or for that matter, the federal government to provide you with a copy of the agreement,” the CJ said.
Agha replied that this was possible and asked the court to put off the case to enable him to get the copy. The CJ then postponed the case till the third week of January.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 14th, 2011.
COMMENTS (29)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
nawaz made a deal with dictator endorsed by same chief justice as legitimate ..take that ..LOL
Nawaz is neither denying nor accepting the deal. Please recall the events of 1997, when the cou was widely welcomed.
@Mirza: I think you will find the term @Lion@ does not suit Nawaz, he's more of hyena or a prawn.....
@Mard-e-Haq: The government was overthrown because of the assaination attempt, Nawaz and co are a bunch of thugs and have no clue of how to run a country, for god sack the man failed stupidly twice, he's not fit to run a country but makes for an excellent thief.......
Strange argument; I will accept what is good for me in the deal while the bad I will reject. That is what Mian Nawaz seems to be saying and the La-hore High Court seems to agree with him. Any bets that the Chief Justice too will accept this plea? Why does the Chief Justice have to hear all of Mian Sahib's cases or constitute benches that suit him?
Why this news is coming on headlines for last couple of days at Tribune?
supreme court judges are also part of corrupt Pakistani society.so expecting a fair judgement about a case in which politics is involved is just a foolish thing. and particularly this supreme court is grateful to nawaz shareef so they will never give any judgement that will hurt shareefs or nawaz league.
We as people of Pakistan want to know the reality behind Nawaz India scene & Musharafs worry of Pak Kashmir issue was sold by Nawaz inreturn for favours for his shares in Indian TaTa mills. Nawaz party's dea investment in Sugarmills in Madagaskar. Nawaz fear of 2012 is not real. If he want he can easily throw out the current govt, But PPP would not go out easily as Nawaz wishes. So now enjoy the mud battle as secrets are disclosed to public.
@grinz 09:
LOL, seriously dude??
musharraf ayega! inquilab ayega!
@Mard-e-Haq:
you're an idiot...nawaz sharif made a deal with the government, not president musharraf. he approached the saudis and the GoP respects saudi arabia alot. in this situation, president musharraf intervened and allowed him to go abroad. nawaz sharif overthrew his own government by being a dicator in civilian garb.
Who voilated what , will be decided in the election . Let Mush be on the crease suppofting IK inning from the other end .
That deal was the mother of all NROs.
@ All
Pakistan is descending further into a vicious cycle of kleptocratic politics. Enemies and rivals unite to rip off the people, year after year. Let's hope there is some hope beginning Dec 25 in Karachi, eh? See some of you guys there, I hope.
@Mard-e-Haq: So they are "Innocent"... Interesting Logic.
If NRO is null & void because it was done by dictator & against constitution that no dictator can forgive corruption cases except court. Then Sharif Brothers cases should re-open whether they are corrupt or not. Nation must know the reality.
@Attif Abbas: Please comment on why the deal is "null and void"?
PMLN is a founder of dirty politics...they have atacked Supreme court in thier rein....ab kis mun se supreme court ki bat krty hain
@Mard-e-Haq: And whats your opinion about the dictator who brought Nawaz Sharif into politics?
By constitution ,this deal under force is null and void.Not of any significance,Agha knows it but he is just scoring political points like Barab awan.
Now Supreme Court will have to open AM Asghar khan & Hudaibya paper mill corruption cases, which r pending in SC for the last 13 years. Because people r raising questions over the Impartiality of SC.
Deal deal deal.....Dictator himself is looking for a deal to come back to Pakistan. Justice...What is that thing guys. Its survival of the fittest group era.
@Mard-e-Haq: No you don't. But why did they?
The lion of Punjab Sharif sought amnesty from General Mush, no surprise here. How many leaers have not surrendered to the generals for fear of jail? It is sad to see the politicians are fighting among each other. If only Sharif would have waited one more year for the next elections, but he does not want to face electorate in March 2012, and 2013. What a shame, they should have all the fights in the assemblies and not in the PCO SC.
@Mard-e-Haq: and also that over throw was validated by the same judge hearing this appeal..
Its just laughable. You cannot bring corruption cases lets bring in assumptions.
What kind of deal can you make with a dictator who overthrew a government?