Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday termed the apex court directive to the accountability court to announce a verdict in references against the Sharif family in a month by July 10 as equivalent to pre-poll rigging. Addressing the media at the accountability court, the former premier said that the apex should have heard the references on its own if it was going to dictate the verdict. “Someone should send the references back to the five-member bench that had asked for them to be filed in the first place. Why must I go through the painful process of appearing in court for 100 hearings?” the former premier asked rhetorically. “If they want to hang me, they should hang me. If they want to send us to jail, they should do that,” Nawaz said, adding, “Everyone knows what ‘wrap this up in four weeks’ means. July 10 is right before the elections. If this isn’t pre-poll rigging, then what is?” Nawaz said that the apex court was influencing the case just before the general elections, adding that the number of hearings and round-the-clock proceedings was unprecedented. Referring to his legal counsel’s recusal from all three references, Nawaz said he had the right to choose a new counsel to represent him in the corruption references. “If this is a fair trial, then I should have the right to choose my lawyer,” the former premier said. Referring to his application for exemptions from attendance at court hearings to let him visit his ailing wife in London, Nawaz said that the exemption pleas were submitted in the accountability court, and not the SC. He also condemned the court directive withdrawing security provided to him. Commenting on the top court’s directive to unblock former dictator Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s CNIC to let him return to the country, Nawaz said Musharraf was a dictator, and not a politician. “He orchestrated May 12 attacks, imposed martial law, and violated the Constitution twice. But capital punishment is reserved for people like us, not him,” he said, taking a jibe at the failure of the country’s legal system to try the dictator for subverting the constitution. Further, Nawaz said Musharraf was responsible for the spread of terrorism in the country, while he tried to eradicate it. “The one who imposed the martial law has medals and guarantees being extended to him, while a three-time prime minister’s name is to be put on ECL?” Nawaz said, referring to the request made by the National Accountability Bureau to the Interior Ministry on Monday to put Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law’s names on the list. Published in Daily Times, June 13th 2018.