‘PM can ask CJP to explain remarks’

ISLAMABAD: PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said everyone except the prime ministers in the country completed his tenure and there were some who even took extension and also completed their extended tenures.

The former prime minister was talking to media persons inside an accountability court where he appeared in connection with the hearing of NBA references filed against him. When asked Chief Justice Saqib Nisar in the context of his meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that a plaintiff had appeared before him, Nawaz said it would be better if Abbasi explained the whole context.

He said the prime minister, if he deemed fit, could seek an explanation from the chief justice over his remarks. “Such words should not have been used. Earlier, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed had remarked that Nawaz Sharif should know that there is much space in Adiala jail. I would say that the superior court judges should not use such language.”

He said the prime minister had not discussed the matter of meeting with the chief justice “but we will soon discuss this issue”. Answering a question regarding a certain ‘doctrine’, Nawaz said, “I am talking about a narrative. My narrative came from the Constitution and the law. And my narrative will not suffer any setback since it is about Constitution. I am striving for the sanctity of vote.”In reply to a question that he was never comfortable in dealing with the institutions, Nawaz said, “I always remained within my constitutional jurisdiction and never tried to trespass. All the institutions should learn to remain within their constitutional jurisdiction. Within the dictates of Constitution and law, all institutions should respect each other and move toward synchronisation.”

Talking about sanctity of vote, Nawaz said in the past, people were not aware what was written in the Constitution. “Now our message has reached every household that the Constitution talks about the sanctity of vote. Now people are more aware and they are raising slogans for the sanctity of vote. In this country, the assemblies and the prime ministers don’t complete their tenures and everybody should notice this thing. The people, who allow themselves to be used as a stooge, and those who create stooges should review their conduct.”

Nawaz once again reiterated that “these are not corruption cases and our assets are due to the income of our family since 1937”. At the start of hearing when Nawaz was seated inside the court and Wajid Zia came arrived with three iron boxes and several other suit cases filled with documents, Maryam Nawaz commented, “They are still bringing here whatever we had submitted before the Supreme Court.”

PML-N leaders Pervaiz Rashid, Musadik Malik, Asif Kirmani, Chaudhry Tanveer, Daniyal Aziz, Talal Chaudhry, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Tariq Fatemi and others accompanied Nawaz during the hearing.