Lawyers want all Panama case accused on ECL

Lahore: The legal fraternity on Friday lauded the judgment of the apex court in Panama leak case and termed it a decisive moment, and demanded the authorities concerned to put the names of all those involved in the Panama case on the exit control list. 

Addressing a joint press conference, leaders of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA), including Zulfiqar Ali Chaudhary and Advocate Aftab Bajwa, said the Supreme Court announced an historic verdict. They demanded the authorities concerned to put the names of all those involved in the Panama case on the exit control list (ECL).

The said accountability should take place before the next elections. Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Vice-Chairman Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon and Executive Committee Chairman Hafeez-ur-Rehman also welcomed the judgment disqualifying the prime minister of Pakistan and finance minister and ordering filing of references against them and the children of Nawaz Sharif with the accountability courts for initiating criminal proceedings against them.

They said that the historic verdict of the apex court would go a long way and would contribute a lot to strengthening the democratic system, free from malpractices and corruption. 

The PBC leaders commended the members of the Bench of the Supreme Court who unanimously gave their decision against a prime minster for the first time in country’s history. The whole legal fraternity rightfully takes pride in independence of present judiciary and its functioning without fear and favour in accordance with dictates of the constitution, they added. 

The PBC leaders also lauded the exemplary role of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) for probing the matter pertaining to the case of Panama leaks with dedication and sincerity of purpose to dig out the truth.