ISLAMABAD - Pointing out lacunae in the apex court verdict of disqualifying former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Federal Privatisation Minister Danial Aziz announced the government will challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court in a next few days to remove the anomalies created by it concerning taxpayers.

Addressing a press conference here Saturday, Daniyal Aziz said they were consulting the legal and financial experts as the definition of assets was altogether changed by the apex court verdict disqualifying Nawaz Sharif.

He said the definition of assets given in the apex court verdict was not found in the black’s law dictionary wherein the receivable salary was shown as the asset, but actually it was not the case. The court verdict had not considered the definition of asset given in Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. So the verdict was of serious consequences for all those filing tax returns in the country and needed to be rectified as under the existing laws the receivable income was never considered as an asset while in the light of the apex court verdict in Panama Papers case, the court had taken the receivable salary of Nawaz Sharif as an asset.

He said the black’s law dictionary was used for reviewing international treaties and documents. He said in paragraph 13 of the Supreme Court’s July 28 decision, the second definition of the word ‘assets’ was mentioned as ‘receivables’ and the definition of ‘an individual’ was used instead of a ‘firm’. The latter definition was taken from an online dictionary which was not authentic. There was a separate mechanism for defining ‘an individual’ and ‘a firm’, he added.

He said the government would soon file a writ petition in the apex court to get the matter clear as the Nawaz Sharif disqualification verdict had put the whole economic system as well as all the taxpayers in disarray.

He said as the detailed judgment on their review petition in Panama Papers revelations was not announced, the confusion was prevailing and if the new definition of asset, as per the apex court verdict is taken, the whole tax system in the country will have to be changed.

To a question, he said, despite their reservations over the NAB court trial where their lawyers had submitted that since the detailed judgment in Panama Papers case has not so far been given, the trial of the NAB court should be stopped, but setting aside their genuine contentions, not only the NAB court indicted Nawaz Sharif and other family members but also expeditiously took the case forward, ignoring the basic ingredients of justice.

He said, despite all their respect for the institutions and their track record of struggle for the supremacy of institutions, they are being blamed for undermining the sanctity of judiciary.

The minister said ‘Iqama’ was not mentioned in any of the petitions pertaining to the Panama Papers; rather it was highlighted by the joint investigation team. The former prime minister had submitted all details, including ‘Iqama’, before the Election Commission, while filing his nomination papers for 2013 general elections, he added.

Daniyal Aziz said the PML-N wanted the rule of law and provision of equal rights to elected representatives like other citizens. The workers and elected representatives of PML-N stood united and those trying to create unrest would have to face failure, he added.

He also strongly rejected the impression of any divide within the ruling party and said those mentioned behind an attempt to form a forward bloc within the party had denied any such move on their part.