Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for favoring the bill as this party has no nexus whatsoever with democracy and they are pursuing policies of the dictators. He said that PTI is neither political nor democratic party. He termed the PTI a fascist and undemocratic party.
Nawaz Sharif lashed at the PTI and said it has spoiled the political culture and decency form the politics as it is trying to mutilate the social fiber of the country but “we will not let it happen”. The PTI, he said, has no other quality but to malign, abuse, tell lie, hurl baseless allegations and mud-slinging on others. He brushed aside any proposal regarding infamous NRO and said that he never availed any NRO and has no intention to for it in future.
He said that the world is changing. When a martial law was imposed in 1958, it was a different situation and circumstances. In 1977 the situation was different to 1999 when another martial law was imposed. He questioned that where is the dictator who imposed martial law in the country in 1999. Now he can’t even dare to enter the country. This is the change and this change will reach its logical conclusion and nobody can stop this change Nawaz Sharif said.
He said that he will ensure the power and sanctity of vote in this country. I believe that this country cannot run without this change. This is my message and I believe that this message will be conveyed to all and sundry throughout the country till next election, he added.
Inside the court, while talking to the reporters, he said that our government delivered despite major protests/ sit-ins and brought about a change in this country. Sit-ins are continued from 2014 and government has not been provided with an opportunity to work with peace of mind. He said that he is particularly talking about PTI whose chief minister used to participate in 2014 sit-ins with government vehicles. PTI members are proving liars and deceivers and now their corruption scandals also emerging.
Commenting about the judicial cases, Nawaz Sharif said that they decide our cases in a hurry and I don’t know why court decisions get delayed in others’ cases. He once again said that the judicial system has double standards and rules of the game should be on parity basis. Nawaz Sharif said that the judges should not have had passed remarks like “Godfather” and “Sicilian Mafia” as it does not suit them.
Earlier, legal counsels for Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain (R) Safdar, during cross examination of the prosecution witnesses in the Avenfield Apartments corruption reference here on Wednesday at the Accountability Court (AC), pointed out that neither Mian Nawaz Sharif nor Maryam Nawaz was a defendant in the case pertaining Al Tawfeek Investment Company in which High Court of Justice Queen’s Bench Division in London had charged the four London flats to the extent of interest.
It was further pointed out in the court that in said case defendants were Mian Muhammad Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and Mian Abbas Sharif.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, the AC recorded statements of the two prosecution witnesses in Avenfield Apartments corruption reference while one each in Flagships and Azizia Steel Company/ Hill Metal Establishment corruption references.
A prosecution witness. Muhammad Rasheed clerk of a law firm, recorded his statement. The law firm was assigned with the task to serve Justice Queen’s bench order to the defendants in Pakistan. Muhammad Rasheed stated before the court that he was directed by his firm to deliver a sealed envelope to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) authorities that he did. He has no connection whatsoever with the documents containing inside the envelope. Muhammad Rasheed, during cross-examination, told the court that he has been working with the said law firm since 1994. After he handed over the envelope, the NAB authorities did not recorded his statement, he also said.
An advocate, Mazhar Raza Bangash, from Riaa Barker Gillete (RBG) law firm was the second witness in Avenfield corruption reference. His previous employer, another law firm was assigned with the task to serve Justice Queen’s bench order to the defendants of Al Tawfeek in Pakistan in November 1999. At some instance advocate Bangash found it hard to recollect certain details while saying that it was 19 years old matter.
Advocate Bangash said that he appeared before NAB Lahore on August 30 where an investigation officer (IO) Imran received him and showed him photocopies of the Justice Queen’s bench orders and an affidavit of Mr Shezi Nackvi. It to mention here that Supreme Court of Pakistan in its April 20 order while mentioning Justice Queen’s Bench division had said “the orders bringing the flats under the charge were passed on the basis of a statement sworn on an affidavit by Shezi Nackvi as is clear by the tenor of the orders mentioned above; that the affidavit of the said Mr. Shezi Nackvi dated 13.01.2017 gives added strength to the version”.
Meanwhile, talking to his interlocutors including the media during a meeting with members of parliament in the Punjab House, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif said that the judges, who had taken oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO), couldn’t dispense justice and have no moral justification for declaring others as ‘not being truthful and trustworthy (Sadiq and Ameen)’.
Nawaz Sharif said that the constitutional amendment to facilitate delimitations of the constituencies for holding the polls in time should have been adopted without delay of a second since it was in the national interest and not for any individual. “I couldn’t understand the reluctance on the part of any party for the passage of the same.”