PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, a day after his acquittal in the Al-Azizia corruption reference, said the cases against him were "hollow" and the "lies have evaporated".
Addressing the PML-N's parliamentary board in Lahore, Nawaz thanked the Almighty for his acquittal and said the sole purpose of the cases was to bring down PML-N's government.
Referring to the bench which sentenced him in the corruption case, he asked what wrong had he done that he was referred to as 'Sicilian mafia'.
"Even though I was punished as an individual, the real punishment was given to the 250 million people of Pakistan," said the PML-N supremo and added that the cases against him were "hollow" and the "lies have evaporated" the people knew the truth.
"An elected prime minister was disqualified for not drawing a salary from his son."
Nawaz, naming the top army generals of the time, said he never conspired against Faiz, Bajwa or Raheel. "But everyone should know who was involved in the conspiracy," said the elder Sharif brother as he maintained that his party leaders and workers knew he was innocent.
He reiterated that neither he nor his party seeks revenge against those who wronged him, but they should be held accountable for the injustices they committed against the people of Pakistan.
"The decision announced [by the court] was a joke, is there any remedy for such suffering," asked Nawaz.
Referring to the upcoming general elections on February 8, Nawaz said the country's largest court will take shape on the day and a people's JIT will be formed – a reference to the JIT formed against Nawaz in the corruption reference which investigated him including his family.
Read: Panamagate shadow vanishes for Nawaz
A day earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) potentially laid to rest the specter of Panamagate haunting former Nawaz's political resurgence.
The IHC, led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, absolved him in the remaining case from the Panama verdict – the Al-Azizia reference.
The court's decision nullified the accountability court's imposition of a seven-year imprisonment sentence, while rejecting the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) plea to return the reference to the trial court.
It is pertinent to note that the PML-N supremo’s disqualification from holding public office persists as decreed by the Supreme Court in the aftermath of the Panama Papers case.
Furthermore, in a subsequent ruling that interpreted Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution, which pertains to honesty and trustworthiness, the apex court confirmed that this disqualification is perpetual, barring him from public office for life.
However, earlier this year, amendments were introduced to the Elections Act, of 2017, reducing the disqualification period for lawmakers to a maximum of five years, applying retroactively.
For Nawaz to be eligible to participate in the upcoming elections slated for February 8, 2024, the removal of a lifelong ban on holding any public office is imperative.
Nonetheless, the party believes the eligibility battle is over, making his path to PM Office all but clear and smooth.
Read the full story at the express tribune website.
