Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has spoken out against Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial in London, saying that the CJP is endangering his own career by “supporting” and “protecting” PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
He lamented seeing the CJP back the PTI leader while knowing about the allegations against him.
In his remarks to the press, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) accused the former chief justice and his colleagues on the Supreme Court benches of plotting against him in the past, dissolving his government, and pressing for his disqualification and incarceration.
He noted the hypocrisy of the CJP’s efforts to shield a man suspected of stealing billions of rupees. As the New York Times reports: “While today the chief justice is active to save the person involved in the theft of billions of rupees.”A trial court’s judgement condemning Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case was criticized by the former prime minister on Thursday after Chief Justice Bandial noted on Wednesday that there were “mistakes” in the verdict.
Imran was found guilty of “corrupt practices” involving the concealment of information of state gifts and received a three-year prison sentence and a five-year ban from running for general elections as a result of the decision.
To back up his claims that former chief justice Saqib Nisar was part of a group of judges acting against the spirit of democracy and conspiring against him, Nawaz Sharif made reference to an interview given by retired jurist Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui.
He recounted how former Chief Justice Nisar had pushed for his and his daughter Maryam Nawaz’s conviction and imprisonment.
The previous chief judge had called for Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification and imprisonment. Mr. Sharif told reporters, “Nisar also urged that Maryam Nawaz and I be imprisoned while introducing Imran Khan.
Among the many things he said Imran had done wrong, he said the PTI leader had destroyed Pakistan’s economy, morals, and culture and had broken the country’s constitution on multiple occasions.
Without naming him, Mr. Sharif criticized Imran’s demeanor in opposition, saying that he had done nothing but protest while he and his party had achieved much by Allah’s blessing.
Mr. Sharif also recalled Imran’s words in which he threatened to tie a rope around his neck, remove fans and air conditioning from his detention cell, and physically remove him from the Prime Minister’s House.
