Punjab PA wants PM tried under Article 6

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly, through a resolution on Monday, demanded registration of a case against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for consulting a “court fugitive” over sensitive national issues.

The resolution was passed a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with PMLN supermo Nawaz Sharif in London. According to legal experts, this act may be called high treason which, as defined in Article 6 of the Constitution, shall be punishable with death or imprisonment for life.

The Punjab Assembly, where the PTI and the PMLQ are in power, has demanded registration of a high treason case against the PM. Although, the resolution is just the voice of the assembly, not a law that has to be implemented, this indicates severe polarization in the country.

The resolution moved by Punjab Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat stated that according to media reports, PM Shehbaz Sharif consulted a court fugitive in London on sensitive national issues including the appointment of chief of army staff (COAS). It stated that “the PM’s oath prevents him from sharing sensitive matters with an unrelated person”. “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself is accused in many cases. By taking this step, the prime minister of an imported government was found guilty of violating Article 5 and 6 of the Constitution,” the resolution stated.

Raja Basharat also read the constitutional oath for the prime minister. Speaking on the floor of the PA whose session was chaired by Speaker Sibtain Khan, Basharat announced that apart from the resolution, he would take further steps to take action against Shehbaz Sharif under Article 5 and 6.

This is pertinent to mention here that the resolution was passed the same day when the Islamabad High Court ordered quashing of terrorism clauses in a case registered against PTI Chairman Imran Khan for threatening a judge and senior officials.

Basharat went on to say that it was surprising to see the country’s prime minister meeting a fugitive in London, who was mentioned in the Panama scandal. Besides, Punjab Home Minister Hashim Dogar also moved a resolution against PMLN MNA Javed Latif, Marriyum Aurangzeb and the PTV for posing a life threat to Imran Khan through a malicious campaign. The resolution submitted that if any untoward incident happened to Imran, a case would be registered against the PDM leadership.