Panamagate: PTI issues Urdu version of apex court verdict

Says judgment is being translated into regional languages also for mass circulation

ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Wednesday released an Urdu version of the detailed Panamagate verdict by the Supreme Court, and announced -- in mocking remarks -- that a copy will also be dispatched to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at his official residence “in a bid to make it easier for him to understand the judgment”.

The party, which had hailed the judgment as its success, also announced that it was currently working to translate the judgment into regional languages also, including Pashto, Sindhi and Balochi for its mass circulation and better understanding of the general public.



Issued on April 20 by a five-judge larger bench of the apex court, the split verdict called for the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the Sharif family’s alleged graft and their offshore businesses.

“Copies of Urdu translation of the landmark judgment will also be distributed among different bar councils, press clubs, the PML-N media team and chief ministers of all four provinces,” PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said, while addressing a press conference at the National Press Club.

He also read out excerpts from the judgment authored by Justice Khosa, Justice Gulzar and Justice Azmat Sheikh, elaborating how ‘in clear words’ the judges had shown their dissatisfaction over money trail submitted by the Sharif family about its properties abroad.

“Urdu version of the judgment will help expose the false impression created by the PML-N leaders who misinterpret the judgment and take benefit of the English language in which judgment has been authored,” Chaudhry said, adding that majority of the public is not well-versed in English language.

Answering a question about the PTI’s future course of action over its demand – unmet as yet – to make the JIT hearings public, he said the party would wait for May 22 when the implementation bench of the apex court would hold its hearing and the JIT would present its first fortnightly progress report before it.



“The PTI will consider its options after seeing the top court’s reaction to the progress made by the JIT so far,” Chaudhry said.

Earlier, the PTI had said that it would approach the Supreme Court to seek directions for the JIT to issue an official statement on a daily basis covering day-to-day progress in investigations.

Speaking on the occasion, MNA Murad Saeed alleged that the Sharif family had accommodated one of its ‘accomplices’ in Hudaibiya Paper Mills scandal as president of the National Bank.

“He will be given Rs60 million per annum as salary while perks and privileges will be additional,” said Saeed. “The PTI will submit a call-attention notice over this appointment in NA today [Thursday].”