Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Co-Chairman Pakistan People’s Party and Former president Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday rejected the Supreme Court’s decision on Panama Leaks case and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. Zardari asserted that morally prime minister should step down and that Imran Khan has saved Nawaz Sharif.

Addressing to media, along with the party stalwarts including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Asif Zardari stated, “I condemn this nine-month joke with the nation. I condemn this justice and judgment. Today democracy and justice were adversely affected.”

He demanded resignation from the PM Nawaz. “Prime minister should morally tender his resignation though I know him well that he will not resign till the last extent, our struggle will continue till then.”

However, Zardari praised the two judges who ruled against PM Nawaz. “I salute the two senior judges who gave the disqualification verdict against Prime Minister – decision of senior judges prevails over junior judges,” he said.

“Can a 19-grade officer under the Prime Minister do what the Supreme Court couldn’t?, ” he remarked, “Will they investigate him, will they disqualify him, will they take the statement from the Prime Minister from the PM house or police station.”

Taking a jibe at the ruling party, Zardari said that the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz should be ashamed of distributed sweets after the Panama verdict.

“They are distributing sweets, they should be ashamed. Why are they distributing sweets? Because two senior judges have called for their disqualification; they have said that you have not remained Saadiq and Ameen.”

He further expressed that PPP has always stated that the party and nation have never gotten justice from these judges.

Zardari also leveled heavy criticism against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan by calling him an “inexperienced politician.”

“We said to Khan Sahib to come with us and do legislation on this issue, and then later take it to the Supreme Court, he didn’t listen to us. He is an inexperienced politician, he has never been jailed, and he has never given his statement in a FIR. He doesn’t know how the justice works and how judges do justice here,” Zardari stated.

“We believe that if Pakistan is not safe in the hands of Nawaz Sharif, it is also not safe in the hands of Imran Khan,” stated the former president, whose own party is gunning for a victory in the next election.

“I am disappointed by Imran Khan leaving us and going to the SC alone. If Aitzaz Ahsan stood there and argued against them (the Sharif family), then the decision might have been different,” he informed.

“We will see what other political forces decide, and the people’s decision will also guide us,” he added. “I think it is evident now to the nation that Nawaz’s real face is not Sharif,” Zardari said.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali asserted that the party and its lawyers will go over the complete judgment and share its decision with the nation. “Those celebrating the decision should be ashamed of themselves,” he said.

“I have said this number of times, if Pakistan is not safe in the hands of Nawaz Sharif, it’s not safe in the hands of Imran Khan either,” Zardari stated.

“I salute the judges who declared Prime Minister Sharif’s ineligible to rule,” Zardari said. He said that prime minister should step down on ethical basis. Zardari said, “I know PM Sharif well. He will not resign till the end.”

PPP Senator Aitzaz Ahsan termed the dissenting notes “heavier than the decision of the other three judges.” “The two judges have declared the PM is disqualified. The decision of these two judges is the Supreme Court’s decision,” Ahsan said.

Aitzaz said the decision of the two judges stands as the Supreme Court’s decision. “The other three judges did not object the decision of Justice Khosa and Justice Gulzar.” He added that constituting a JIT is tantamount to giving the premier a safe exit.