Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s verdict declaring Nawaz Sharif ineligible to continue as the president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is a continuation of the trend set in motion with the Panama Papers decision, and it constitutes negation of fundamental rights.

State Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb expressed these views while talking to the media outside the accountability court on Thursday.

She said all recent verdicts against her party were exactly as per their expectations.

She said even the opponents of the party were saying that all of these verdicts stood on very weak legal grounds.

And to defend one weak verdict, the court had been giving similarly weak verdicts afterwards.

Aurangzeb said the court now try to find a constitutional interpretation to disqualify his [Nawaz’s] voters, and those who love him from the core of their hearts.

The minister observed that court verdicts had led to an exponential increase in the popularity of Nawaz Sharif.

Marriyum said that the decision on the future president of the party would be taken by Nawaz Sharif in consultation with other party leaders.

Responding to a question regarding time line for the announcement of next PML-N president, the minister said the future strategy would be devised after consultations with senior leadership of the party.

Published in Daily Times, February 23^rd 2018.