Does Constitution allow use of profanities against elected leaders? Maryam Nawaz asks Mansehra

MANSEHRA: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Friday strongly criticised the judiciary for what she termed the “insults hurled at the people’s mandate” by judges hearing cases against former premier Nawaz Sharif and his family, ARY News reported.

In a no-holds barred speech during the party’s social media convention at Mansehra, Maryam Nawaz said that his father (former PM Nawaz Sharif) was declared ineligible to hold public office for holding an “iqama” (work/resident permit) for the detractors could not find a single evidence of corruption against him or his family.

She was of the view that Nawaz Sharif did the right thing by taking the disqualification verdict to people and letting them decide his fate.

“Those who were mocking Nawaz Sharif for asking Mujhay Kyun Nikala (why was I ousted) are themselves thinking today that ousting him was a bad move, for he became more popular,” said Maryam Nawaz by citing examples of recent by-polls in Lodhran and Lahore.

The biggest blow came when Maryam criticised the judiciary for calling Nawaz Sharif a “thief” and comparing the leader and his party with criminal syndicates like Sicilian Mafia.

“He who insults your elected prime minister, insults the nation, does the constitution allow all this cursing? nation wants to know what interpretation of constitution allows someone to use such profanities against elected leaders?,” asked Maryam Nawaz.

She maintained the insulting elected leaders in tantamount to insulting the collective wisdom of the nation and even termed it an insult to people’s vote and “theft”.

“Your elected prime minister was ousted over a salary he never received, your vote, your collective wisdom was insulted; isn’t it rigging? isn’t it theft?,” Maryam Nawaz asked the crowd.

The PML-N leader also criticised the court for serving contempt of court notices to some her fellow party leaders and said that criticising controversial judgements is allowed everywhere in the world.

She concluded her speech by saying that if judiciary is actually free, they shall also serve contempt of court notices to Imran Khan who once termed their role “shameful”, former dictator General (retired) Pervez Musharraf and Tehreek-e-Labbaik chief who openly criticised Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar.