Nawaz Sharif to surrender before court whenever he arrives: Khaqan

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has asserted that party supremo Nawaz Sharif will surrender before the court whenever he comes back to Pakistan, ARY News reported.

Speaking to ARY News programme ‘Sawal Yeh Hai’, the former premier said that federal minister Javed Latif can only give the date of Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan.

Responding to Maryam Nawaz’s criticism of the judiciary, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that such statements came out of the mouth in public gatherings.

However, he said, talks regarding the country’s judiciary should not be held. He also termed the court decisions ‘questionable’ after audio leaks emerged.

Khaqan also lambasted the decision to dissolve assemblies amid country’s current situation, terming the move ‘irresponsible’.

In response to a question, the PML-N leader said that elections will not be held according to the constitution, saying that it was the prerogative of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold polls.

He noted that President Alvi did not have the authority to announce date for elections, saying that government institutions will cooperate with the Election Commission in holding elections. “We will contest the election whenever the schedule is announced”.

It is pertinent to mention here that President Dr Arif Alvi announced April 9 as the date for holding general elections for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) assemblies. The announced the date under section 57(2) of the constitution.

In a letter written to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sultan Sikandar Raja president Arif Alvi said the constitution does not allow to exceed 90 days for holding elections after the dissolution of assemblies and he has taken the oath to defend and protect the constitution.

The letter stated that ECP and governor KP and Punjab are not fulfilling their duties to hold elections within 90 days and the president has announced an election date to avoid violation of the constitution.

He said that both the constitutional offices are placing the ball in each other’s court, which is resulting in delay and creating a serious danger to the constitution. President Arif Alvi said that it is ECP’s responsibility to hold the election in 90 days and he started the process of serious consultation on the election date.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Punjab and KP assemblies were dissolved on Jan 18 and Jan 14, respectively, after former prime minister Imran Khan had announced to dissolve assemblies in an attempt to force the government to hold snap polls.

As per the Constitution of Pakistan, polls need to be held for the dissolved assemblies in 90 days.