The people have expressed no surprise over the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) which declared former three times prime minister Nawaz Sharif disqualified from holding public office for life.
During a survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Friday, the people from all segments of society, including supporters of ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and other political parties, said that life time disqualification of former PM Nawaz Sharif was expected after the Panama Papers case verdict.
However, the supporters of PML-N flayed the SC decision, saying that some quarters had turned the apex court as a rival party against the PML-N and the court within a year had given seven decisions against the ousted PM. They alleged that from Panama case to Accountability Court proceedings, the opponents of the PML-N had failed to bring any proof other than allegations leveled by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Awami Tehreek and other parties.
On the other side, the opponents of the ruling party welcoming the SC decision said that after the Panama Papers case decision by the Supreme Court, it was expected that the court would declare the former PM disqualified forever due to his dishonesty and corruption. They said that no corrupt person should be allowed to hold any public office.
Mubashir Khan, a professor by profession in a private university of Islamabad, talking to Business Recorder on the matter said Nawaz Sharif was declared qualified in the past by the same Supreme Court which had now declared him disqualified forever. He alleged that principles and laws were changed with change of head of an institution.
Malik Rizwan Awan, a shopkeeper, said Nawaz Sharif and his family had been in power since early 1980s and had made billions of rupees by plundering public money so the SC had taken a right decision. He said that only honest political leadership in the country was with PTI and the masses should vote PTI into power.
Professor Dr Atiqur Rehman Shah of Quaid-e-Azam University said now time had come for the superior judiciary to stay away from indulging into politics. He said that as a result of decisions on political cases, the country was not only destabilizing politically but economy was also being hit hard and finally the poor suffer.
Atif Chaudhary, a student of Federal Urdu University, said that one's qualification or disqualification in democracy was decided by the voters, adding what kind of democracy was in Pakistan where courts gave 10 years to a military dictator while an elected PM was thrown out. He alleged when some quarters fail to face a political figure in elections, they used courts to oust public leaders. "This has been time and again repeated in Pakistan since creation of the country."
Amir Bashir, former deputy general secretary of PPP, supported the decision and said the Supreme Court might have gone beyond its limits but this decision carries much more importance. "You can't let a fraudulent person run the country just for the sake of democracy. Nawaz Sharif is not democracy."
However, PTI workers celebrated the victory after the SC announced decision.
A young PTI worker, Erum Mangol said, "This is what we need. Brave judges who don't care what position the accused holds. Rule of law. I'm so glad that still there are brave and honest judges in my country."