While opposition party lawmakers celebrated the Supreme Court’s decision to disqualify Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from office, ruling party members expressed disappointment but also said Sharif’s days are not over.
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah while talking to DawnNews said: “This is a difficult time for the PML-N.” “But the power to make party decisions will remain with Nawaz Sharif.”
State Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb at a press conference after the verdict said, “Nawaz does not need a chair, he is a reality. That day is not far, when he will be chosen for the fourth time”
Aurangzeb added: “Some decisions happen in court, others in peoples courts. We may have lost one decision… which I am not surprised about but am saddened.”
“PML-N is Pakistan’s biggest political party. It has the higest number of political workers. And history is a witness that whenever Nawaz Sharif was removed unjustly, the people of Pakistan brought him back to parliament with a greater majority.”
She also said that the party will announce its plan after looking at the decision in detail.
Senior lawyer Asma Jehangir said the court’s decision should be accepted but that there is room for criticism.
“After his decision, a lot of cracks have emerged which will keep the judiciary on its feet for a very long time,” Jehangir said to Geo News.
“I think that Zia ul Haq and Iftikhar Chaudhry have returned. It will become difficult for others and the court…The parliament will think that the apex court has always decided against us and 184(3) powers have reached a point where anyone can be disqualified, the parliament will look to amend it.”
She added: “This is a unique decision. It has had a unique procedure. In courts it happens that there is a set pattern but the way this case has happened is not normal.”
While reacting on the court’s order, the PML-N spokesperson said that the party will utilise all legal and constitutional means to contest the verdict.
The spokesperson further complained that the “requirements for a fair and just trail were badly violated”.
The court has set such precedents which don’t find any similar standing throughout the course of country’s history, the PML-N statement added.
Ref:Dawn News – Pakistan