PPP gets massive relief from courts

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which has perennially been very attacking against superior judiciary, is thrilled in the heart of its heats over the recurrent welcome relief its senior leaders have now got from top courts.

The judicial facility that has been dispensed obviously as per the Constitution and law gives a big lie to the claims of the top PPP stalwarts including former President Asif Ali Zardari and his son Bilawal that superior courts have never come to their leaders’ rescue and have always been helpful to the Sharifs.

The relief coming in a quick succession because the cases in question had matured meriting decisions prompted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to toss another grave allegation that it was the result of a secret deal between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PPP. 

After this massive respite that came in a few weeks, the senior PPP leadership was required to change its mind and shower generous praise on the judiciary for the mere fact that its accused have been relieved. However, it is yet to do so with an open heart.

Sometime back, the Supreme Court allowed model Ayyan Ali to travel abroad, trashing the government’s strong opposition; the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted former Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi in a mega Haj corruption scandal that was going on since 2010; the Sindh High Court (SHC) granted bail to Dr Asim Hussain; the IHC granted transitory bail to Sharjeel Memon, who is charged with Rs5 billion corruption scam; and the SHC approved his temporary bail on Thursday.

Despite a massive relief, every senior PPP leader is slamming Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who despises corruption and has always been poised to diligently purse cases of financial fraud and embezzlement regardless of the stature and standing, political and otherwise, of those involved in it. This is his only crime for which he is being often battered, provoking him to give a tit-for-tat. He can’t be bullied by any kind of political pressure.

For reasons unknown and unexplained publicly, the PPP was extremely anguished and traumatized over the arrest of Ayyan Ali at the Islamabad airport for allegedly possessing undeclared half a million dollar in cash that she wanted to take abroad illegally. According to Latif Khosa, advocate, he was directed by Zardari to fight her case with verve. Finally, he won and got her released, allowing her to fly abroad a day after the decision of the top court. The proceedings against the model were one of the primary causes behind the PPP’s intensifying confrontation with the PML-N.

Khosa had been vigorously representing her in various courts including superior judiciary over the past several months. On the other hand, the interior ministry was working hard to block her foreign departure and exoneration and get her sentenced for her alleged crime.

The PPP chief had also instructed Khosa to argue the case of Dr Asim Hussain, who was arraigned for an unbelievably phenomenal corruption of Rs479 billion. Ultimately, he was successful in securing bail for him from the SHC. The accused has been seriously ill. Initially, the case was investigated and instituted by the Rangers. The case against Dr Asim Hussain stood out amongst the grave irritants that had hyped tussle between the PPP and the federal government.

The same lawyer on the similar direction from Zardari had also argued Kazmi’s case in the IHC, which noted in its judgment that not a single prosecution witness from among fifty-six deponents came out with any oral or documentary evidence in support of the offence against the accused. He won and got Kazmi acquitted.

Memon had chosen not to land in Karachi for fear of arrest by the Rangers. He selected Islamabad for his arrival where he got temporary bail from the IHC. The SHC has now approved it.

Despite its efforts, the prosecution in the cases against Ayyan Ali, Dr Asim Hussain, Kazmi and Memon lost as the accused were granted relief. This also spoke volumes about the flaws and gaps in the prosecution stories otherwise the judicial rulings would have been different.

Dr Asim Hussain’s health greatly deteriorated during his prolonged captivity. He kept wailing and screaming for proper treatment for months. Regardless of the gravity and severity of the charges against him, Zardari held a number of meetings with him in the hospital.

He wanted him, Kazmi and Ayyan Ali out of the prison at every cost, and was successful at the end of the day. All this happened when he has been camping in Lahore where he has started his full-fledged activities following the end of his self-imposed foreign exile.