Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah has said that the court has the right to exercise Article 190 over non-compliance, asking the military to arrest former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members.

“Nawaz Sharif is playing a very dangerous game as he and his family members are not appearing before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) despite being summoned,” Shah told reporters in Islamabad on Monday.

“If this continues to happen, the National Accountability Bureau can issue warrants to arrest the Sharif family,” Shah said, adding that the court exercising Article 190 could have dangerous consequences.

“Pakistan’s constitution and law applies equally on every citizen,” the opposition leader said. “It is beyond one’s comprehension as to why the government wants confrontation with state institutions.”

Regarding former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar’s Sunday presser in Islamabad, Shah said it would have had worth if addressed outside the Punjab House.

On Saturday, the NAB requested the Supreme Court to allow members of the Panama Papers Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to record their statements before the anti-graft watchdog as part of its investigations against the Sharif family and others. The request came a day after the ousted prime minister and his sons Hasan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz refused to appear before the NAB, which has been ordered by the top court to file references against them. In its July 28 judgement, a five-member bench of the apex court unanimously declared that Sharif was not sadiq (truthful) and ameen (trustworthy) and hence not qualified to hold a public office.

Published in Daily Times, August 22^nd 2017.