Pakistan - Imran, Zardari demand PM Nawaz's resignation

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan on Thursday once again demanded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s resignation.

“What moral right does Nawaz have to remain premier when a criminal investigation is being launched against him,” the PTI chief questioned while addressing media soon after the Supreme Court’s verdict on Panamagate case.

Nawaz survives to see another day as SC orders probe into corruption allegations Imran had refused to speak to the media earlier while leaving the courtroom after SC gave its verdict ordering a probe into corruption allegations against the premier. Drawing a comparison between an investigation launched against Uzair Baloch and the premier, Imran said, “If Nawaz is cleared after JIT’s investigation, he can return to the seat.” Paying tribute to all Supreme Court judges for the verdict, the PTI chairman said, “The verdict is historic because a sitting prime minister has never been investigated before.”

The verdict to form a JIT proves all arguments by Nawaz Sharif were lies, he added. “The letter from the Qatari prince has already been proven fake,” he added. “Judges have maintained that PM Nawaz should be disqualified,” the PTI chief maintained.

Further, Imran questioned SC’s decision to include NAB official in the JIT saying, “Today, SC said NAB has failed.” “How can all those institutions working under PM apart from ISI, and MI probe him?” he further asked. “If PTI workers had not staged a protest in the scorching heat, this verdict would not have come. I pay my tribute to my workers,” he added.

Two judges have given their verdict against the sitting prime minister. I was not expecting more from the SC, he added.

Imran question why PML-N workers were distributing sweets, “I want to ask those who are distributing sweets that what you people are happy for? Are you celebrating because Nawaz has been proven a liar in the SC?” Addressing the media, former president Asif Ali Zardari said, “Today the nation has been deceived.

“On what grounds is PML-N celebrating and distributing sweets? Are they celebrating that two senior judges called for the prime minister’s disqualification?”

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman said the party and its lawyers will go over the complete judgement and share its decision with the nation. “Those celebrating the decision should be ashamed of themselves,” he said.

“I have said this a number of times, if Pakistan is not safe in the hands of Nawaz Sharif, it’s not safe in the hands of Imran Khan either,” Zadari stated.

Meanwhile, PPP Senator Aitzaz Ahsan said the decision of the two judges stands as the Supreme Courts decision. “The other three judges did not object the decision of Justice Khosa and Justice Gulzar.” He added that constituting a JIT is tantamount to giving the premier a safe exit. The prime minister has made it through the Panamagate case, but just barely. The SC on Thursday, in a 3-2 judgement on the case, ordered the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to continue probing the allegations of financial irregularities and money laundering, while noting that at present, there is “insufficient evidence to remove Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.”

The JIT has been given two months to complete the probe into the premier and his sons Hussain and Hasan, all of whom have also been directed to appear before the JIT. The investigators will also have to present bi-weekly reports to a special bench of the Supreme Court.

The JIT will be constituted within seven days and would include representatives from the ISI, MI, FIA , SECP, State Bank and NAB.

Addressing the media after the verdict, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said, “Every party including Imran Khan, Sirajul Haq should now respect the SC verdict.”

“We will cooperate with the JIT and keep on respecting the court. The opposition kept on questioning our party and they set a court on roads as well.” “PM Nawaz is both Saadiq and Ameen. We have not spent three decades of our lives following him in vain,” he added.