Joy and tears in Courtroom No-I

ISLAMABAD: Respondent No-1 (prime minister Nawaz Sharif) stands disqualified." These five powerful words brought “smile to some faces and tears in others eyes in the Supreme Court of Pakistan on a historic Friday at 12:11pm.

This “crying” was only in the club of supporters of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the hall. But the word “disqualification” brought “joy” for supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the Courtroom No-I. As completely packed hall echoed with joy and tears, worthy judges stopped both the parties’ supporters in seconds with two words —“silence please.”

In their 18-minute historic "order-reading-exercise" two worthy judges — Justices Asif Saeed Khosa and Ejaz Afzal Khan — captured deep attention of more than 600 politicians, journalists, diplomats, lawyers and security personnel in the hall.

As word “disqualification” echoed in the courtroom it was Abid Sher Ali who started crying and suddenly fell on the chair. This correspondent was standing next to Mr Ali who literally cried time and again after hearing the court order. Senate ex-chairman Nayyar Bokhari, former MNA Nadeem Afzal and Senator Chaudhry Tanveer who were standing right and left to him were palmed his body convincing dejected Mr Ali “keep patience our friend." Then it was MNA Danial Gilani who was crying too on that prevailing situation in the hall. This correspondent also witnessed MNAs Anusha Rehman, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry who were literally crying in the courtroom during the "order reading-exercise." As five-member bench ordered authorities to file criminal charges against Nawaz Sharif, his two sons, a daughter, son-in-law and a party member, a PML-N leader whispered in this correspondent’s ears who termed this order a “judicial coup” in the courtroom.

Gloom further prevailed in the hall when many were extracting meaning from PanamaLeaks short order that Nawaz Sharif would not be allowed to become a member of Pakistan’s Parliament ever again. During the course of proceeding, many said history of disqualifying elected prime minister by the top court repeated itself again. It was exactly 24 years ago when Nawaz Sharif was removed from the office of the prime minister in 1993 but on different charges. Thousands of people wanted ‘to be an eyewitness of this historic event in the country’s top court which was guarded by more than 3,000 security personnel where five judges read this order.

As Justice Khosa continued to read order, workers of PTI were celebrating the victory, even their louder voices forced the court's administrators to ask witnesses to maintain silence. “Salute to judges — they are our heroes,” whispered a PTI leader in ears of Jehangir Tareen's ears standing three feet away from the rostrum in the courtroom.

Many were also saying in the apex court that sword of disqualification was hanging on many other members of Parliament, PTI chairman Imran Khan and Jehangir Khan Tareen in particular, after damning PanamaLeaks’ order set a new precedence in judicial history of the country. The PML-N top leadership may bring Kulsoom Nawaz to lead party for next 2018 elections, said a lady MNA of PML-N. This move might yield better results for them after the situation developed following Friday’s order, she added.

After 25-minute proceeding of Panama case, many lawyers and journalists were discussing that Nawaz Sharif failed to break record of longest-serving prime minister of Pakistan. Mr Nawaz served 1,513 days as the PM of the country while late premier Liaquat Ali Khan served 1,524 days in the office.

Many lawyers outside the courtroom where hundreds of PTI supporters were chanting slogans “Gone Nawaz Gone” were of the view that following Nawaz Sharif's disqualification (on hiding honorary work permit of the FZE Capital), all eyes are set on the SC hearing such cases of Imran Khan and Jehangir Tareen. These two and many more who also obtained their work permits from the UAE and Saudi Arabia but never revealed in their wealth statements, would be disqualified in light of this new judicial precedence, they said. “Party just has begun — wait who is the next in line,” concluded a senior lawyer.