Nawaz says references against him, children based on revenge

LONDON: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday took an exception to judges who he said have always declared elected prime ministers disqualified, he was talking to media persons after arriving in London along with his daughter.

Nawaz further said that he would never compromise on principles, supremacy of law and the sanctity of vote. He  added that references against him and  his children were made to victimize them.

He said that his disqualification is a reward for his efforts to eradicated terrorism and load-shedding from the country, adding that the terrorism has started raising its ugly head again.

Deposed prime minister  said he had been criticised for not having good relations with anyone but what happened to all the other prime ministers who experienced the same fate. Why none of them were able to enjoy good relations, he asked.

He strongly criticized the judges who disqualified him, saying that Pakistan has once again been destabilized after the verdict which he said based on revenge, adding that why they [judges] don’t hold others accountable for subverting the constitution. Nawaz added that he does not accept any such accountability. His statement was a clear reference to the Supreme Court's verdict, which disqualified him as the prime minister in the Panama Papers case.

To a question he said yes, Hamoodur Rehamn and other commissions’ reports should also be made public.

He recalled that he was removed by Musharraf in 1999 and by judiciary in 2017, not allowing him to complete his term. Judiciary must tell why he had been ousted, said Nawaz, adding, “I do not accept this accountability.” 

Nawaz Sharif has arrived in London to spend time with his ailing wife Begum Kulsoom Nawaz who has been under treatment.

The accountability court hearing corruption references against Nawaz Sharif on Monday granted him exemption from hearing for a week.

The references against him were filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the orders of Supreme Court in Panama Papers case.

The Islamabad High Court on Monday also rejected his plea seeking to club together multiple graft cases against him.