Pakistan - Nawaz Sharif and the Supreme Court

A blunt answer to “Why have I been removed?”

Nawaz Sharif, already  disqualified by the Supreme Court from holding  public office,  faces  corruption references  now that can land him to jail. Sharif’s confidence in his  mechanism of control over NAB and other accountability related agencies  led him to reject the opposition’s offer to resolve the Panama case through  parliament. Sharif decided instead to take the case to the Supreme Court.   None in the family could imagine that the apex court would seek the help of the two prime security agencies under the army’s control which  maintain updated records on the sleazy affairs of those who matter.  The way ISI and MI readily accepted the assignment led Nawaz Sharif to ascribe it to some sort of collusion between the army  and the apex court.

Sharif made an attempt to wriggle out of the situation by recourse to public pressure. The tone and tenor of the fiery addresses during the Islamabad to Lahore rally wherein Sharif questioned  the reasons for his disqualification backfired. Important PML-N leaders opposed  the policy of confrontation with the establishment. A later  move, within the system this time, to amend Articles 62 and 63  to reduce Sharif’s disqualification period was foiled by the opposition parties.

Nawaz had been repeatedly asking why he was ousted. He has got the reply he was asking for. The  remarks in the Supreme Court verdict rejecting the review pleas  are  highly damaging. “He (Sharif) never came forth with the entire truth” and “tried to fool the people inside and outside the parliament,” says the judgment  as it spells out in detail the reasons behind Sharif’s disqualification. The verdict has elicited a strong reaction from  Nawaz Sharif and daughter Maryam, the first  accusing the judges of being full of grudge and anger and the later calling it ‘travesty of justice’ resulting from  ‘immense pressure’ on the judges.  Facing a relentless court and an opposition unwilling to lend a helping hand,  Nawaz Sharif is finally at the end of his tether. What perturbs many is that the grip of the elected government on the affairs the state has continued to weaken.