PML-N should request court to broadcast proceedings live: PTI spokesperson

Says Sharifs will never want accountability court proceedings to be broadcast live

ISLAMABAD: One day after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam said that accountability court proceedings should be broadcast live, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is holding them to their word by demanding they file a request in the court.

Giving PML-N a 72-hour notice, PTI Spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said Nawaz and Maryam should submit an application through their lawyers requesting that court proceedings be broadcast live, "or else PTI will do the needful."



Taking a jibe at the father and daughter, Chaudhry stated the party had previously said that Nawaz and his daughter would never want accountability court proceedings to be broadcast live because they would never want the truth to be shown to the public.

"Yesterday, both were demanding for live broadcast. Today, during the hearing PML-N did not raise this issue or submit an application in this regard," the PTI spokesperson further added.

Chaudhry, while pointing another finger at the father and daughter said: "the sole purpose of threatening and giving enraged speeches in public gatherings and the media is to spread confusion and tension."

PTI yesterday backed Maryam's demand to live broadcast trial proceedings against the Sharif family in the accountability court. "This way our nation will witness House of Sharif’s lies and fabrications,” Chaudhry had said.

Maryam, in a tweet on Wednesday, demanded that the accountability court proceedings against Nawaz and her should be broadcast live "to make the public cognisant of the truth."

مطالبہ: نواز شریف اور میرے خلاف مقدمہ میں نیب عدالت کی تمام کاروائی کو براہ راست نشر کیا جائے تاکہ قوم کو سچ کا پتہ چل سکے۔

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) April 4, 2018

During accountability court hearing today, Nawaz and Maryam both filed applications to excuse themselves from the hearing which were accepted by the court. Capt (retd) Safdar was the only who attended the hearing from the trio.

The Sharif family has been on trial in connection with corruption references pertaining to Flagship Investment Limited and 15 other companies. The references have been prepared in light of the 2017 Supreme Court verdict on the Panamagate case. The apex court had directed the top anti-graft body to file references against Sharif, his sons, daughter Maryam Nawaz, son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar and Ishaq Dar.

After the top court’s instructions to conclude the references within six months expired last month, an accountability court requested the SC to extend time period for ongoing trials. The Sharif family has maintained innocence in all corruption charges.