ISLMABAD - Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday said every Pakistani knows the meaning of “taking instructions from above”, a reference often given to the role of the powerful military that ruled the country for half of its history.

Talking to media persons outside the accountability court, Nawaz criticised PTI Chairman Imran Khan and said the blue-eyed has learnt how to take dictation from the ‘high command’.

These people claim they will bring a change in the country, Nawaz said, questioning if it is their change to vote for ‘arrow’ (PPP’s election symbol) on the dictation of the ‘high command’.

Imran Khan has maligned Pakistan’s politics, he said, adding the people of Lahore yesterday rejected him for the third time in a row.

Imran Khan was in Lahore, but he left the city in a hurry on the excuse of taking a key wicket. People of Pakistan rejected him in 2013 and results of 2018 will also be the same, he added.

Nawaz said KP Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak, in his simplicity or mistakenly, disclosed about “taking instructions from above”. He said Bani Gala was never mentioned as ‘above’.

“Imran Khan should also tell the public who is manoeuvring fall of wickets. The youth of Pakistan, who earlier extended support to the PTI chief, are now disappointed due to his U-turns in politics,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, Defence Counsel Khawaja Harris continued cross-questioning prosecutor witness Zahir Shah in NAB’s Flagship Reference against the Sharif family.

The NAB prosecutor witness informed the court that in the MLA of June 27, the relevant details about offshore companies were not shown in Section-G. The documents relating to land registry were also not shown; all the documents sent by the UK Central Authority were received by the British High Commission, Islamabad, on March 27 and on this very date the NAB seized all these documents.

Defence Counsel Khawaja Harris raised a question on the appointment of NAB Operations DG Zahir Shah in the National Accountability Bureau. He stated: “In a NAB reference against Khurshid Anwer, Subah Sadiq and Muhammad Shafiq, it was alleged that Zahir Shah leaked some very key and sensitive information to Colonel Rasheed.” On this, Zahir Shah replied in the negative, stating NAB has record of telephonic conversation between him and Col Khalid Rasheed.

He said NAB has provided the entire record of appointments of all the officials, including him, to the Supreme Court, however, the committee of the apex court has not made any judgment.

The court adjourned the hearing of NAB references against Sharif Family till Monday. Statement of prosecutor witness/investigation officer, Imran Dogar, will also be recorded Monday.