ISLAMABAD - Awami Muslim League Chief urged the Supreme Court to restrain Nawaz Sharif from holding public office as Member of the National Assembly and Prime Minister of Pakistan after Panama leaks.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, chief of one-man party, on Friday filed a petition under Article 184(3) of the constitution and made federation through Secretary Law and Secretary Establishment Division, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Chairman National Accountability Bureau and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif respondents.

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and Jamaat Islami Ameer Siraj-ul-Haq had also filed petitions in the apex court seeking disqualification of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for lying and concealing the facts regarding his assets. However, the SC registrar office had returned them and termed frivolous under the Supreme Court Rules, 1980.

Sheikh Rashid has contended that the credibility of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif after Panama Leaks has shattered that the governance in the country is bound to paralyse if prompt action is not taken in this regard. Instead of engaging any lawyer Sheikh Rashid said that he would contest the case himself.

He further said the office of Prime Minister being held by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif carries with it extreme responsibilities affecting the whole country and therefore cannot be held by a person who is prima facie hit by Article 62 and 63 of the constitution.

He submitted that the wealth statement of 2011 submitted by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to the FBR evidences Maryam Safdar in the column of dependents holding land to the tune of Rs24,851,526, while Maryam Safdar name appeared in the Panama Leaks to be holding shares in off-shore companies and the fact has been admitted by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif family publically through Hussain Nawaz declared that Maryam was a trustee for him.

Being beneficial owner of shares in the offshore companies, the statement of Husssain Nawaz that Maryam is merely a trustee is untrue, Shiekh Rashid said.

Despite Maryam being a dependent, her holding ownership of shares in the off-shore companies was never shown or declared by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in 2013 election form, who is thus guilty of misstatements and mis-declarations on the face of the record violating section 12(2) of the Representation of People Act, 1976 and clearly hit by Article 62 of the constitution. “As per settled law of the land, once misstatement and mis-declaration are on record, the same are enough to hold a person disqualified and once disqualified always disqualified,” Sheikh Rashid contended.

He prayed the apex court to restrain Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif from holding public office as Member of the National Assembly and as Prime Minister of Pakistan after being hit by Article 62 and 63 of the constitution after Panama Leaks disclosure.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who filed the petition in-person, prayed the apex court that if an interim relief not granted to him, the whole nation could suffer irreparable loss.