Maryam turns her guns on LHC

LAHORE:

PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Sunday claimed that she had damning evidence with her about the Lahore High Court that would reveal how decisions were given in favour of PTI Chairman Imran Khan on the requests of sons-in-law and children of its judges.

The LHC had recently granted protective bail to the former premier in nine FIRs registered against him, including eight filed on terrorism charges.

He was granted bail relief in five of them lodged in Islamabad till March 24 and the remaining four in Lahore till March 27.

The LHC later extended the period of protective bail in the five FIRs registered in Islamabad till March 27 as well.

Maryam, while addressing a group of lawyers that was broadcast by the state-run TV channel, criticised the superior judiciary for allegedly according preferential treatment to the PTI chief.

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She said the PML-N believed that elections were a way forward and was not scared of them as it was not “selected” like others, referring indirectly to the PTI.

However, she added that prior to elections, a fair judicial system and political stability was required in the country.

Maryam claimed that the reason why elections were postponed in Punjab was the decision of the Supreme Court wherein it had allegedly rewritten the Constitution.

She was referring to the decision of apex court where it had disregarded the votes of the MPAs cast against party policy, resulting in her cousin Hamza Shehbaz losing his post as the Punjab chief minister.

The PML-N leader, who is the daughter of party supremo Nawaz Sharif, further said the SC’s decision was a stain on the face of judiciary.

She, however, did not explain how that verdict had any impact on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to delay the elections in Punjab.

Maryam maintained that former National Assembly deputy speaker Qasim Suri was declared a violator of the Constitution.

However, she added that he was still allowed to go scot-free by the court.

“This puts a big question mark on our judiciary as people are imprisoned for decades for a petty crime but the violators of the Constitution are allowed to walk free,” she added.

The PML-N leader said her government not filing a petition against Suri was its weakness, demanding that it should proceed with the move.

Referring to the SC's suo motu notice over the delay in Punjab elections, Maryam described it as a controversial move.

She added that the notes of Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi on which the suo motu proceedings were initiated as well as the bench formed to hear the matter were controversial too.

She said whoever spoke about the shortcomings of courts was threatened with contempt proceedings.

“In reality, the contempt of court is committed when a corrupt judge is protected even when evidence emerges of him being compromised and yet action is not taken against him,” she added, referring to the recently surfaced audio leaks.

Maryam questioned what guarantee was there that Imran would have accepted the election results under the PML-N-led federal government and caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s tenure if they were held on their earlier scheduled date of April 24.

She pointed out that the PTI chief had accused the caretaker Punjab CM of having hatched a conspiracy to murder him.

Maryam further said how elections could be held on the whims of Imran, who was “always under influence of drugs”.

She said the claim that elections were to be held in 90 days was a selective reading of law, asking where in the Constitution was it allowed to conduct polls under elected governments.

The PML-N leader claimed there should be a caretaker set-up for the entire government for holding the elections.

She added that the PTI’s lecturing on the rule of law was nothing short of a joke as “it was the first party to be declared a violator of the Constitution”.

Maryam alleged that Imran was launched by foreign forces to spread anarchy in the country.

She asked the lawyers' community to name and shame Imran’s “facilitators”.

The PML-N leader maintained that Imran’s “facilitators” were still within the system.

She added that Imran’s politics revolved around crutches.

Referring to an alleged interview of Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa -- which he later denied giving -- Maryam maintained that the former army chief, who brought Imran to power, had revealed that the PTI chief was a dangerous man.

She claimed that the ex-army chief had also revealed how decisions were made on the instructions of judges’ family members.

Maryam said on the day of the Panamagate judgment, the family members of judges were present in the court.

She maintained that the family members of the judges had expressed their joy on their social media handles over the decision even before it was announced, proving that what Bajwa was allegedly saying was true.

Maryam claimed that Imran had repeatedly flouted the law by evading court hearings on one excuse or the other.

She added that when he finally decided to show up, he came with a mob, which attacked the court.

Despite all this Imran was given bail by the dozens, she continued.

Maryam said she and her father attended over a hundred hearings in frivolous cases but never showed their contempt.

Referring to the statement of Imran’s aide Sheikh Rashid, she maintained that the PTI’s politics revolved around appointments.

“Their [PTI] long march was to intercept the appointment of the army chief,” she claimed.

“Now they have shifted their focus towards October keeping in view another appointment,” she continued.

Maryam maintained that all the cases against Imran were genuine, be it Toshakhana, Tyrian White or prohibited funding.

She added that if Imran had nothing to hide, he should appear before the courts to answer for his deeds.