LAHORE: Former chief justice and Pakistan and Justice Democratic Critic Party (PJDCP) leader Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Saturday asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down immediately after allegations of money laundering and owning offshore companies abroad.
Addressing a press conference here, he said that Nawaz Sharif was doing everything to save himself from accountability. He also called for ruthless accountability for all. “No party in Pakistan stands for ruthless accountability,” he said. “Whether it be possessing financial wealth, properties abroad or tax evasion, everyone is seem to be involved in corruption.”
“If the prime minister does not resign, then tensions will further rise,” Iftikhar said. “Nawaz Sharif should hand over the prime ministership to someone else.” He said that the government was aggravating the already tense situation to rescue the prime minister.
The former chief justice questioned the reasons behind prime minister’s reluctance to go to assemblies. “Why don’t you go to Senate and National Assembly? Nawaz Sharif is scared of assemblies,” he said. Iftikhar further said that the Nawaz-led Pakistan Muslim League-N held a majority in the parliament hence Nawaz Sharif had the option to make anyone the prime minister.
“The prime minister is facing allegations of money laundering,” he said. However, he said that the PML-N government should complete its constitutional term, maintaining that the government doesn’t mean Nawaz Sharif only. To a question, he said his party wants ruthless accountability in the country.