News Analysis |
The accountability court is to decide whether the decision regarding Avenfield reference against the former first family to be announced today or not. The court has already rejected the ousted Prime Minister’s plea to grant him exemption from personal appearance before the court. The court had reserved the decision which was said to be announced on 6th July (today).
Nawaz Sharif has submitted another application through his legal counsel to delay the decision so that he could stay with his ailing wife. Nawaz’s wife Kulsoom Nawaz is in London and undergoing treatment. But this time, the PTI Chief has bashed at Nawaz Sharif for misusing his wife’s ailment for his personal political interests. “All of our hearts are with Kulsoom Nawaz. My mother also had cancer and I had to take her abroad [for treatment].
If Nawaz’s application is entertained and the decision is delayed, the court will establish that laws in Pakistan are selectively applied and the powerful making the justice system out to be a joke.
But this does not mean that this should be used to emotionally blackmail the nation. You did not remember Kulsoom Nawaz when she was [undergoing treatment] in London and you [Nawaz] were doing jalsa’s across the country,” Imran Khan said on Thursday. The PTI chief was speaking to media while he was welcoming the former PML-N leader Zafar Ali Shah into his party.
Read more: End of the road for Nawaz?
Imran Khan looked confident and said “Nawaz Sharif you will read this [Avenfield reference] verdict in newspapers; Adiala jail is waiting for you.” The head of PTI always maintained that if Pakistan is to make progress, the law should be applied without any discrimination. Selective application of law brings disorder, instability and social disharmony, he says.
Imran Khan also questioned the basis on which Sharifs had moved the request and asked: “whether the same facility is available to the common man”. In Pakistan, it is a political norm to avoid courts and police by using “Bemari Card” card. There are multiple examples in Pakistan when people from rich or influential families get arrested they immediately become sick and wish to be admitted to hospitals. It seems as if the law, courts and police are meant for the weaker class in the country.
The court has already rejected the ousted Prime Minister’s plea to grant him exemption from personal appearance before the court. The court had reserved the decision which was said to be announced on 6th July.
From Dr. Asim to the former finance minister Ishaq Dar everyone used ailment card to avoid courts and to get public sympathy. It is considered an easy task to blackmail the simple-minded people on emotional grounds. Maryam Nawaz has issued so many emotional statements so far. Although Nawaz and his daughter were in Pakistan and Kulsoom Nawaz was undergoing treatment in London for a while, but the sudden decision to go join Kulsoom, sparked controversy.
Read more: Nawaz Sharif represents the predatorification of politics
Moreover, Imran Khan has asked a very important question, “what the former Prime Minister is demanding—a delay in the announcement of the verdict— is that facility available to common citizen? Can anybody dare to dictate the court to decide the day for a decision’s announcement?” If Nawaz’s application is entertained and the decision is delayed, the court will establish that laws in Pakistan are selectively applied.