Courts must ‘wash off stain’ of Nawaz’s ouster

LAHORE:

PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said the judiciary will have to make amends for ousting former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from office while cautioning that a failure to “wash off the stain” would spell trouble for the country.

The PML-N scion, in her off-the-cuff remarks during an informal conversation with journalists, also sounded alarms that “remnants” of former spy chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed still plagued the establishment, claiming that they were facilitating PTI chief Imran Khan.

While noting that Imran Khan’s defeat was a fait accompli as no institution was willing to back him, Maryam said there were “some people” who were making smoothing the way for the former premier.

She called upon the judiciary to "hold some individuals accountable” following the emergence of audio leaks. In reference to her father's disqualification, she said it was becoming clearer by the day that the scales of justice were tilted.

Censuring Imran in an apparent reference to the army chief's appointment, she said the PTI chief wanted to make the next appointment but was unable to do so. "Nawaz Sharif did not panic and his [Khan’s] plan failed,” she claimed.

Maryam, while insisting that the PTI chief be held accountable, said people like him should not avoid accountability.

“Accountability is not for revenge. We need to draw the line,” she said while stressing the need to devise a future plan of action.

The party’s chief organiser said PTI's defeat was certain as “Imran Khan won’t be able to escape punishment in any case whether it is Tyrian White, Toshakhana, or foreign funding”.

The ruling party leader said the PTI chief was not appearing before the courts on the “pretext of plaster on his leg”.

“No one has been given as much leniency as Imran Khan is being given by the judiciary. Despite being caught red-handed, no action is being taken against him. There is no greater injustice than the double standards of justice,” she remarked.

"The judiciary has to hold accountable and prevent a couple of characters [from supporting Imran Khan]," she added.

Referring to the judiciary, Maryam underscored that institutions do not get weak if a few individuals are held accountable.

“Their accountability must be done by the judiciary itself,” she said without taking any names.

Maryam said the judiciary would have to absolve her father, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif who has been living in London since November 2019 on health grounds, of trumped-up charges “otherwise the future path will be difficult”.

“Nawaz Sharif will return home soon and he will be honourably acquitted because those who sentenced him confessed that they gave the verdict under duress,” she claimed.