Nawaz Sharif laments 'vengeful' court decisions

ISLAMABAD: Deploring the Supreme Court’s latest ruling, ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said the decisions of apex court are being given with ‘malice’.

He was talking to press outside the accountability court here.

In his response to the top court’s verdict on petitions challenging Elections Act 2017, Sharif said the court’s decision to declare him ineligible to hold the position of ruling party head was expected.

He went on saying that the top court first snatched his premiership in its July 28 verdict in Panama Papers case and recently the court deprived him of holding the top seat of his party.

Alluding to the judiciary, the former premier said his name is Nawaz Sharif and they could swipe his name after finding a relevant ‘Article of the constitution’.

He reiterated that he was ousted on grounds of not withdrawing salary from his son’s offshore company.

He said the court made the latest decision on previous allegations of possessing an Iqama [foreign work permit], adding, the court is deliberating to disqualify him for lifetime.

Sharif convenes party meeting

Following the court proceedings, the ousted premier was convening a meeting of the ruling party leaders at Punjab House in Islamabad to deliberate upon the names for the party president in the wake of Supreme Court’s latest ruling against him.

Party leaders including Pervez Rasheed, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Zahid Hamid and Irfan Siddiqui were in attendance at the meeting.

 Supreme Court verdict

Supreme Court in its verdict on petitions challenging a controversial amendment in Electoral Reforms Bill 2017, on Wednesday ruled that a disqualified person cannot lead a political party.

The apex court judgement is being seen as another blow to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as it was being led by former PM Nawaz Sharif despite a July 2017 verdict declaring him ineligible to hold public office under Article 62, 63 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

The three-member bench of Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar also declared that all decisions taken by Nawaz as PML-N’s president stand null and void after this judgement.