ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday urged the judiciary to take a suo motu notice of the purported leaked audio clip allegedly involving former chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar to have stated that “institutions” interfered in getting her and her father, Nawaz Sharif, punished to pave the way for Imran Khan into power.
In a joint presser along with senior party leaders, Maryam Nawaz also dared former Justice Saqib Nisar to “have [the] courage” and name those who had allegedly pressured him to convict Nawaz Sharif and her, adding that the latest allegation regarding judicial interference was the “fifth testimony” in favour of Nawaz Sharif, who she claimed was ousted from power “unfairly”.
When asked whether she would approach the judiciary along with these “testimonies”, Maryam said she would first give the “opportunity” to the judiciary to take a suo motu notice, adding that all the “evidence” are available with her and team of her lawyers is also looking into them.
“First, I would give this “opportunity” to the judiciary to take a suo moto notice of the issue, as questions have been raised on its credibility. This is not only the case of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz or any other PML-N leader, but of the entire nation because as a result of this “conspiracy”, a person who was brought to the power, he has made lives of the 220 million people miserable. Imran Khan is responsible for the problems of the people which include, inflation, lawlessness, the damages caused to institutions, and defaming Pakistan,” she maintained.
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She opined: “They [the judges] need to move forward and wash this “stain” themselves which would add to their [judges] respect. As far as myself is concerned, whenever and at any stage, when I deem it appropriate, I would submit an application to become party to it,” she added.
“Now, it is well in the hands of the judges to provide justice to Nawaz Sharif and all those involved in it [in the Panama case, and] wash this “stain” from their face. We are giving an “opportunity” to them,” she further maintained.
She also urged the judiciary “not to bear the burden of someone whose truth is now out.”
To another question, she said that if Saqib Nisar has any doubt over the authenticity of the alleged audio clip, he should challenge it in any US court.
Talking about the purported audio clip in which the former chief justice, in his alleged conversation with an unidentified person, is saying that he was facing pressure from the “institutions” to convict Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, she said that a “propaganda” has been started against the “renowned” US company which carried out the forensic of the audio clip and stated that “it has not been edited or tampered with.”
She said that certain media channels were doing the “propaganda” that the clip had been made by compiling Saqib Nisar’s statements from different occasions. However, she questioned the statement in which Saqib Nisar had allegedly stated that Nawaz and Maryam were convicted and sentenced on the instructions of the “institutions”.
“Why didn’t those channels focus on these lines which is crux of the matter and a complete charge-sheet, which is admission of the “sins” – Unfortunately, it is the institutions which give judgements here that we have to punish Mian [Nawaz] Sahib and we have to bring Khan Sahib [Imran Khan], “Banta Hai Ya Nahi Banta Ab Tu Kerna Parega, Baiti Ko Bhi Nahi”. – The person on the other side [on the phone] is telling him that the daughter cannot be punished. To this, he [Nisar] stated that he also has discussed with his friends to do something in this regard, but they didn’t agree with me,” she said, while referring to the alleged audio clip.
“I would like to tell Saqib Nisar that he will have to tell the nation the “truth” as to who forced you to convict Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz? Who asked you to bring Imran Khan into power...If Nawaz Sharif didn’t deserve the punishment, then why did you play with the justice system? You were sitting in the highest forum and why couldn’t you refuse taking the instructions to convict Nawaz Sharif?”
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She further asked the former chief justice: “Why you allowed yourself to be forced to take an unconstitutional and illegal step?” You will have to give answer to the people. Leave the audio, leave Gilgit-Baltistan judge’s affidavit, and the statements of former judges and the FIA’s Bashir Memon.
This is the fifth testimony in favour of Nawaz Sharif. Will the nation forget these testimonies? Can you deny that an elected prime minister was removed from power unjustly?”
She further maintained that Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had made a “startling” statement, while former accountability judge Arshad Malik was punished for speaking the “truth”.
“Although, two judges were punished, nobody dared to come forward to provide justice to Nawaz Sharif,” she added.
She further stated that while doubts could be raised about the audio clip, Justice Siddiqui and Justice Rana Shamim of the Gilgit-Baltistan apex court, who has recently issued an affidavit accusing Saqib Nisar of judicial interference, “were alive”.
“You can call them to get their testimonies,” she added.
She said that Saqib Nisar should have followed the footprint of former GB’s chief judge by issuing an affidavit.
“I want Saqib Nisar to get a forensic audit conducted of the audio, face the law and build a dam from the money he gets after winning the case,” she added.
She further maintained that Nawaz Sharif was expelled from his office “for not taking salary from his son” and a joint investigation team (JIT) was formed to investigate the Sharif family’s assets.
Maryam also maintained that it was “ridiculous” that the former chief justice was not saying anything in his defence, but the government ministers were defending him “unjustifiably”.
She further maintained the prime minister never called a meeting to discuss inflation, “but after the audio leak, he called a meeting asking his party spokespersons to discuss the PML-N tenure in public. They are actually saving themselves because they know they will suffer badly once Saqib Nisar is proved guilty.”
She also questioned as to why no JIT has been formed so far to investigate the Pandora Papers Leak.
About the proceedings in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in her case, she claimed that there was no proof available against her.
“I was sentenced to prison for seven years. Now the NAB [the National Accountability Bureau] has no evidence to furnish in the IHC,” she added.
To another question about an alleged audio of her, she admitted that the leaked audio of her instructing media team during the PML-N past tenure not to give advertisement to few channels was real.
“Although, I would not say much about this and I would talk separately on that, but I would not say that it is edited,” she added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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