What Nawaz likes for himself, he rejected the same in Zardari’s case

ISLAMABAD: What Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif liked for himself today before the apex court in the Panama case, he had opposed the same when a similar situation was being faced by the then President Asif Ali Zardari during the last PPP government.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif now seeks privilege of free speech under Article 66 of the constitution to ensure that his parliamentary address on Panama Papers is not made part of the Panama case now being heard by the apex court. During the PPP’s last government he has been criticizing the then President Asif Ali Zardari for hiding behind constitutional immunity - Article 248 - when the Supreme Court wanted the government write a letter to foreign authorities in Swiss case. 

In the Panama case, the premier’s counsel has sought the privilege of free speech, like any other parliamentarian, under Article 66 of the Constitution that gave legal cover to the parliamentary proceedings.

In his arguments, Makhdoom Ali Khan, counsel for the prime minister, said they were not seeking immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution but claiming privilege available to the parliamentarians under Article 66 of the Constitution that gave legal protection to the proceedings of parliament.

Khan said the issue of privilege was brought because disqualification had been sought on the basis of a speech in parliament. Makhdoom Ali Khan contended that under Article 66 legal protection is provided to parliamentary proceedings from being called into question by any court of law.

During the PPP government, in 2012, the then leading opposition voice and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had lambasted the government and its allies for not respecting court verdicts in Swiss case. Nawaz was quoted as saying that the PPP government should talk about presidential immunity only after looted money stashed in foreign banks had been returned to the country.

He had also blamed the PPP government for ‘hiding behind immunity’ to avoid writing to the Swiss government and had said that the people and the PML-N would not let it happen. In Swiss accounts case, the PPP government had refused to write a letter to Swiss authorities against the then President Asif Ali Zardari despite Supreme Court’s verdict, insisting that President enjoys immunity from any such court proceedings under Article 248 of the Constitution.

In the same case, the then Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani had to face contempt of court for refusing to write letter to Swiss authorities. Consequently, Gillani was punished for contempt of court which led to his disqualification and departure from the office of the prime minister.