Court verdict proved Nawaz has hit dead end: Babar Awan

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to PM on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan on Monday said the recent court decision dismissing Nawaz Sharif’s appeal against Avenfield and Al-Aziziya references by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) proved that Nawaz Sharif had gone to a dead end.

During a press conference along with Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib here, Babar Awan said after the final verdict of the court, Nawaz Sharif has no choice but to present himself before the court.

He pointed out that earlier Nawaz had an excuse to seek treatment but now the bail and treatment order has been merged in the final verdict. He said he could not even go to the Supreme Court unless he presented himself in the light of the verdict, as he was a prisoner of Judge Muhammad Bashir.

Awan explained: “According to the court, one can apply for reopening of the case and at the same time it is stipulated that the decision on this application will be in accordance with the law.”

He clarified that twice in the last two weeks, PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif refused to accept the supremacy of the parliament. He rejected Shehbaz's proposal of 5 to 7 reserved seats for overseas Pakistanis in the parliament and said that the opposition should believe in the supremacy of the Constitution as they are showing by their conduct that they are playing with the Constitution.

Awan stressed that the government, considering the parliament as supreme, wants to do all the work through the parliament and for this purpose, the doors of dialogue between the government and the opposition are open.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan would fulfill his promise and share power with overseas Pakistanis and on the other hand, the opposition has given a fraud plan to overseas Pakistanis. Referring to the apex court, Awan said the right of overseas Pakistanis to vote is already in the law while the proposal of the opposition leader against the decision of the court is in fact an insulting act. He referred to the 2018 decision of the Supreme Court in the Farhat Javed Siddiqui case in which the Supreme Court had clarified something regarding the voting rights of Pakistanis abroad. He said the recommendation of the opposition leader is against the decision of the Supreme Court and it is also an insult.

He said Articles 106, 19, 17-2 of the Constitution assign the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis, but Shehbaz wants to deprive them of the right to vote. He slammed Shehbaz and said he should not look for a narrow alley and should do whatever he has to do in the parliament.

Replying to a question, Awan said after the electoral reforms, the government would focus on judicial reforms which are at the top of its agenda and advised the opposition to sit together on this issue. He said Nawaz had two options: to surrender at the Pakistan Embassy or apply for transit bail in the trial court and as soon as he reaches Pakistan, he would be taken into custody as a fugitive. “After that, he will be produced in court within 24 hours and locked up,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said the agencies would brief the parliamentary leaders on the possible situation due to the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. Farrukh Habib said: “Those who teach us the rule of law and Constitution do not accept the decisions of the high court. “The same court which granted eight weeks bail to Nawaz on medical grounds rejected his appeals.” He said Shehbaz Sharif has no right to be the opposition leader for not fulfilling the guarantee of bringing back Nawaz Sharif. He said Nawaz had nothing but a fake trust deed and a Qatari letter in Calibri font and there is no record of palaces in which he was living.

“Sharifs have nothing to do with the people of Pakistan, reforms, transparent elections,” he maintained and added that Imran Khan is the only leader who did not build any properties abroad and sold his assets to bring money to Pakistan.