Daily Times

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday requested the accountability court to delay verdict in the Avenfield reference till the time he is able to return to the country and hear the verdict in the courtroom.

Speaking to media outside the Harley Clinic, the former prime minister said Pakistan has had a history of verdicts remaining ‘unnecessarily’ reserved for months, hence delaying the judgement of the Avenfield case for a few days considering an ‘extremely sensitive matter’ will not violate any requisite of justice or law. He said that the court gave a verdict on the eligibility of a politician from Rawalpindi after reserving the decision for as many as three months. “I am not asking for three months, but a relief for some days,” he said.

“I am not a dictator who will run away from the courts. My wife is on ventilator for last 21 days. I want to hear the verdict in the court room where I have presented myself with my daughter over 100 times,” he said. “Kulsoom underwent an operation yesterday. I will return as soon as she feels better,” he said, adding that the doctors have expressed hope that his wife’s health will be out of danger in the coming days. “I wish to see my wife conscious and talk to me before returning to the country.”

The PML-N leader said that irrespective of the decision is in his favour or not, he will return to Pakistan, adding that his lawyer will submit a formal application in the court requesting it to delay the announcement of the verdict.

Earlier, the accountability court said it will announce its verdict in the Avenfield reference case on July 6.

Nawaz said he is facing one-sided investigations from July 2017, but the nation is standing with him. “The nation supports my ‘respect for vote’ stance,” he said, adding that the nation’s decision on July 25 will change the destiny of the country. “The entire nation is aware of the one-sided actions against me,” he said, adding that he is ready to give any sacrifice for the people’s right to govern and his stance on respecting the sanctity of the vote. “I am people’s representative … I won’t disappoint the nation by displaying cowardice. Those who are stopping the people’s right to govern will receive exemplary treatment by the masses,” he affirmed.

Nawaz said the mission he has taken up is not an easy one. “However, the people are going to announce the decision bigger than all decisions on July 25,” he said, in a reference to the July 25 general elections. He further said ‘those with the jeep symbol’ – a reference to dissidents and other independents contesting on the jeep symbol against the PML-N – and others impeding the people’s rule ‘will become an example’ after the polls.

Nawaz and his family are facing three corruption cases in the accountability court after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed references against them in light of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Panama Papers case last year.

Published in Daily Times, July 5^th 2018.