close
Thursday March 28, 2024

Doors to justice closed for Nawaz Sharif: Saad Rafique, Rana Sanaullah

By APP
August 23, 2017

LAHORE: Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique Wednesday said all doors of justice had been closed to  former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif by binding NAB to file references against him and his family without following the constitutional procedure.

Addressing a joint press conference along with Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan and Sharifs’ lawyer Amjad Pervaiz Advocate  at the Press Club, he said justice should be done to Nawaz Sharif as per the Constitution.

He appealed to the Supreme Court to review the reservations of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leadership with right to a fair trial.

He said the respect of the court was always kept high during proceedings. Nawaz Sharif and his family appeared before courts and the joint investigation team (JIT), though the attitude of the latter was partial, he added.

“The JIT even did not follow a proper procedure. Wajid Zia was its head, but someone else was presiding it,” he alleged.

He said the PML-N though did not accept the decision but it followed the orders to maintain the respect of the judiciary.

“We had reservations regarding the Panama Papers case from the start of the proceedings, formation of the JIT, What’sApp call, two officers from the forces and leakage of Hussain Nawaz’s picture but the same were ignored,” he added.

The minister said a judge was specially appointed for monitoring the case of Nawaz Sharif and his family. “A perception is being created that Nawaz Sharif and his family is not appearing before the NAB (National Accountability Court) and that they are fleeing from the proceedings, which is wrong as our lawyers are replying every notice of the NAB in writing,” he said.

He cited that such a practice was observed by the lawyers of former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, who used to appear in the NAB on behalf of their client.

“Both our party and leadership are trustworthy and popular, but such words were used against us which are objectionable,”
Khawaja Saad said.

“We don’t want division in the country,” he added. He said a case which started from the Panama Leaks regarding corruption and ended on “Iqama”, a resident permit.

“We do not want any confrontation with courts or other institutions and not a single violation of law was made in the rally led by Nawaz Sharif,” he added.

The minister said public connection campaign would continue and the next strategy in that regard would soon be announced.

He said that Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa was not part of any conspiracy in person. To a question about appearing before NAB, Saad Rafique said that it was not final whether Nawaz Sharif and his family would appear or not before the NAB.

He said that Kulsoom Nawaz was not feeling well and was under treatment in London so Nawaz Sharif might go there to see her.

To a question, he said that if Parliament could provide any way out, the PML-N would use that forum.

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said that Nawaz Sharif was a popular political leader and millions of people had political affiliation with him.

“Non-provision of basic human rights to Nawaz Sharif is in fact denial of rights to millions of Pakistani people,”
he claimed.

Rana said that it was a long story that Nawaz Sharif did a lot for the country, including making it a nuclear power.
“There was no logic in appearing before an inquiry officer whose result had already been announced,” he said.

“This decision was made in a party meeting held at Jati Umra,” he said. The provincial minister said that Wajid Zia remained a
police officer, who did not have any experience of conducting inquiry.

He did not even conduct any small level inquiry during his job, he claimed. “Then, how Nawaz Sharif and his family can expect
fair trial,” he added.

“It was a credible information that NAB had died but now it is being told that it is now doing a speedy work,” he said.

He said that it was observed that such a forum did not fulfill demands of justice, so the case would be put before the people.
“Our struggle is for proper justice,” he added.

To a question about Model Town case, Rana Sanaullah said that the case was under proceeding in an anti-terrorism court
and if someone had any objection, he could go to the court.