Top court's ruling will strengthen Sharif's position: Maryam Nawaz

KARACHI: Supreme Court’s ruling in petitions challenging the Elections Act 2017 and debarring former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from holding the office of party head would eventually strengthen Sharif’s position.

This was stated by ousted premier Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz on her official Twitter account on Wednesday.

نوازشریف آپ جیت گئے ہیں ۔
انصاف کے اعلی ترین ادارے آپ کے خلاف فیصلے نہیں بلکہ آپکی سچائی کی گواہی اور موقف کے حق میں ثبوت پیش کر رہے ہیں۔

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) February 21, 2018

The daughter of former prime minister and his rumoured “heir-apparent” started the campaign by changing her profile picture and replacing it with a picture of Nawaz Sharif with ‘Main Bhee Nawaz Hoon’  (I too am Nawaz) written in the background.

In reaction to the top court’s ruling, Maryam wondered about the rationale behind the latest verdict announced against Sharif.

“I wonder at intelligence of those consider themselves wise,” she tweeted while referring to the judges.

She asked whether the latest verdict would make Sharif unpopular. “Will the masses stop considering Sharif their leader?” she queried.

The series of three tweets, seen as her first reaction to the court verdict, Maryam Nawaz said that the decision which declared her father ineligible to head a political party is actually his victory as the top institutions of justice “have given proofs of his innocence and truthfulness”.

کیا اس فیصلے کے بعد پارٹی نواز شریف کو لیڈر ماننا چھوڑ دے گی؟ اس فیصلے نے نواز شریف کے بیانیے کو تقویت دینے کے سواہ کچھ نہیں کیا۔

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) February 21, 2018

The former premier’s daughter was responding to the verdict announced by the apex court disqualifying him from serving as the ruling party head under Article 62 and 63 of the constitution.

‘عقلمندوں’ کی عقل پر حیرانگی ہے! اس کو کبوتر کی طرح آنکھیں بند کرنا کہوں یا خود کو دھوکہ دینا ؟

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) February 21, 2018

She reiterated that the court’s verdict wouldn’t affect Sharif’s position in the party.

Taking a dig at the judges, Maryam said whether she should call them a pigeon that closes its eyes after making such decisions.

On Wednesday, the apex court ruled that a disqualified person cannot lead a political party, a judgement which directly affected ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as it was being led by deposed PM Nawaz Sharif.

The verdict adds that all steps taken, orders passed, directions given and documents issued by Nawaz Sharif as party head after his disqualification in July last year are also declared to have never been taken, passed, given or issued in the eyes of the law.

The court also directed Election Commission of Pakistan to remove Nawaz Sharif’s name as President/Party Head of Pakistan Muslim League (N) from all relevant records.

Before Maryam Nawaz, other PML-N leaders too criticised the judgement and reiterated that Nawaz Sharif will continue to lead PML-N and “no court judgement can stop the party from seeking guidance from Nawaz”.

“Nawaz Sharif is our leader and a court judgement can’t affect our will to seek guidance from him and struggle under his leadership,” Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah told ARY News.

Sanaullah was of the view that he will be better equipped to comment upon the decision once the court issues a detailed judgement but thinks that such court judgments don’t have retrospective effect so Nawaz Sharif’s decisions as PML-N head won’t be effected.

“Nawaz Sharif is and will remain PML-N chief,” PML-N MPA Hina Butt tweeted minutes after the verdict was announced.