ISLAMABAD - Disqualified prime minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday severely criticised apex court’s decision to conditionally allow former military dictator Pervez Musharraf to contest July 25 general elections, asking how he could be provided any guarantee by the court.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar had on Thursday taken up Musharraf’s plea against his 2013 disqualification for life by the Peshawar High Court.
The court allowed the former military ruler to file his nomination papers to contest elections on the condition that he would appear in person before the SC bench on June 13 in Lahore.
The CJP remarked that Musharraf’s nomination papers would essentially be received by the relevant Returning Officer but the fate of his candidature would hinge on the final decision on his appeal by the apex court.
Speaking to media representatives outside the accountability court on Friday, Nawaz Sharif said it was beyond comprehension that Musharraf was permitted to contest polls.
He questioned that how the chief justice could extend such an offer to someone accused of high treason, adding that whims of the powerful in the current politico-judicial setting were becoming superior to the law of the land. It looks as if he the general was above the law, he added.
“We should be told under which law Musharraf has been allowed to take part in general elections. How could a person be above the law and the constitution? People like me are shocked over this,” he remarked. Whether Article 6 does not apply to him, he asked.
“Is there any law that empowers someone to give assurance to a military dictator who faces a high treason case [for abrogating constitution], Akbar Bugti murder case, Benazir murder case, judges’ detention case and was involved in Lal Masjid operation?” he asked while expressing his surprise.
To show the alleged sharp contrast in apex court’s dealing with him, he said the same court removed him as prime minister and as head of his party as well barred him from contesting elections for life on a trivial charge.
“This is something which is beyond my understanding, and the nation is also surprised as to how the court may relax rules for one accused of high treason,” he went on to say. “It means that if someone abrogates the law, he will get bail directly from the chief justice, even if there is no provision in the law,” he alleged.
Nawaz said that one hand Musharraf has been given such an illogical favour while on the other his plea for just three days exemption from court appearance to visit his ailing wife Kalsoom Nawaz was rejected.
Avenfield case
Earlier, NAB Deputy Prosecutor Muzaffar Abbasi completed his arguments in the Avenfield Properties Reference.
He asserted that the NAB with documented evidence proved that the stance adopted by the accused [Nawaz Sharif] was wrong. He said that the NAB also proved that Qatari defence as coined by the accused was fictitious.
He said there was a huge difference between the stance of Nawaz presented in his public address being premier of Pakistan and his stance presented in the court.
The prosecutor said that he has proved that the stance of the accused regarding their money trail too was incorrect. He said that the accused admitted ownership of London flats.
This property belonged to Sharif family since 1993 and the NAB has proved this reality with documented evidence, he said, adding that it was also verified with judgement of Queen’s Bench that flats were in the custody of the accused.
The NAB official said Al-Taufiq settlement was held with understanding of Sharif Family and in Al-Taufiq case, Parklane apartment was also attached. He stated that Queen’s Bench judgement of 1999 was acknowledged. The prosecution has fulfilled its responsibility, now it was the turn of the accused, he held.
NAB prosecutor said Nawaz Sharif in his public addresses as prime minister of Pakistan has stated that they have documents and sources to buy properties in London but they did not produce those sources in the court despite being told to do so.
He said that Nawaz had stated that Hasan and Hussain were not dependent on him and they know better how they got those properties. Nawaz neither cleared himself nor his children and there was also a huge difference in the stance of the ex-PM and his children, he added.
The prosecutor said that Hussain Nawaz in a TV interview said that by the grace of Allah, the property of Avenfield belonged to them.
NAB prosecutor has completed his arguments. Hearing on Al-Aziziya Steel Mills Reference would be held on Monday in which Khawaja Harris will cross-question JIT head Wajid Zia.
Nawaz criticises SC over assurance to Musharraf