PTI-PAT sit-in planted to oust me from power over Musharraf treason trial: Nawaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the four-month protest sit-in staged by PTI and PAT in 2014 was planted to oust him from power over his decision to put Pervez Musharraf on trial for high treason.

Addressing a press conference at Punjab House here on Wednesday, Sharif read his statement he gave earlier before an accountability court hearing Avenfield property references.

“The corruption references filed against me by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) are byproducts of a high treason case against former military dictator Pervez Musharraf,” he said.

Nawaz said that the references as well as the sit-ins against his government were reciprocal punishment for him taking legal action against Musharraf despite being warned not to do so.

He said that the head of an intelligence agency had conveyed a message to "resign or go on a long leave. “I was very upset as such blatant threats by a subordinate to the head of the state are not issued even in third world countries.”

Sharif said that PTI and PAT were pawns who had been asked to hold sit-ins to weaken his government.

"Before the filing of the treason case I had met Imran Khan and he never demanded my resignation. But surprisingly after Musharraf was booked, he met Tahirul Qadri in London where they decided to stage a sit-in against my government."

The PML-N leader praised the sacrifices rendered by armed forces and pointed out that he had increased the defence budget.

“I had turned down an offer of $5 billion in aid in exchange for commitment not to conduct the nuclear test in the 90s,” he recalled.

“It is also a "prerequisite for the sanctity of the armed forces that if any person suspends the Constitution then he should be held accountable".

"Only a few people in the armed forces staged a coup but the entire institution has to pay the cost," he added.

Nawaz said that he had already been punished once for his unwavering stance on civil supremacy, recalling: "Nineteen years ago, I was detained in torture cells, I was sentenced to life imprisonment, I was handcuffed and jetted off. Was there a Panama at that time? The answer is simply no. At that time, too, I was demanding civil supremacy. I wanted foreign and domestic policies to be in the hand of the elected representative."

Sharif defended his government's record over the last five years, saying: "I am a son of the soil. I don’t need a certificate of patriotism from anyone. In the last five years, the growth has been phenomenal — unmatched under any regime in the last 65 years."

He voiced his displeasure over the Supreme Court's July 28 verdict. "That judgement may satisfy some people but it was not good for the overall image of Pakistan. It did not contribute to the judiciary or criminal justice system because of the uncertainty arising after the verdict."

The founder of the PML-N then questioned the NAB court as to why judiciaries of the past did not do anything against dictatorial regimes.

"Why was Liaquat Ali Khan martyred, why was Zulfikar Bhutto hanged, and why was Benazir Bhutto also martyred? I wish there was a court that could dare to ask generals why they abrogated the Constitution and why the judges legitimised their dictatorial regimes."

The PML-N supreme leader reiterated that the allegations levelled against him are baseless and asked accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir to "make a just decision since you and me both will appear before Allah Almighty one day."

Sharif said that his ouster from politics by getting him banned for life was considered the only solution to keep him out of power.

About the Panana Papers case, he said that he had no idea how many people, prime ministers and heads of states were ousted from power. “I wasn’t even named in the Panama papers,” he said.

Mr Sharif said that he had been facing similar situation for the last 20 years while there was no Panama Papers to blame. “I reiterate my stance that decision power belongs to those who are elected by the people of this country,” he added.

“I consider it an insult to receive certificate of patriotism from others.”

The former prime minister slammed his disqualification by the apex court. "I was never allowed to complete my constitutional term," he added. 

"Nobody can see corruption in my verdict, but everyone can see injustice," he added.