Everyone, having any political affiliation or not, had anxiously waited for weeks together for the announcement of the reserved verdict in the Panama case by the Supreme Court. The much awaited verdict was announced by the country’s apex court on April 20.
But somehow the wait did not end just then as the apex court directed the setting up of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising of representatives of a number of federal institutions for further probing of questions against the prime minister and his family. The JIT was to be constituted within seven days and the process for this has already been set into motion. The JIT to be constituted has been given 60 days’ time to complete its assigned task. A special bench of the apex court is also in place to ensure implementation of the Supreme Court verdict and to closely monitor working of the JIT.
So, everyone has to wait for some more time to see if the JIT investigation replies in the favour of or against the prime minister and his family members in its findings.
But it is rather surprising and not understandable as to why the opposition parties, their leaders, and lawyers’ bodies are raising hue and cry, as per the reports in the newspapers, rejecting the JIT out rightly though it forms part of the verdict of the apex court. Those not accepting any part of the verdict are simply amounting to committing contempt of court. The ruling of the apex court nowhere had ordered that the prime minister should resign before appearing in front of the JIT. As has been reported in all details in the newspapers; the Supreme Court has only directed the prime minister to appear before the JIT when called.
So we should patiently let the JIT be constituted, complete its task and submit its findings to the apex court in 60 days. Till that time, all including the opposition leaders, lawyers and others should better keep their fingers crossed. Rejecting any part of the apex court in Panama case and not accepting the verdict in totality at this stage is an uncivilised approach. Let the law take its own course as per the provisions of the Constitution, please.
ASIM MUNIR,
Rawalpindi, April 24.