Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Hours after Supreme Court reserved its verdict in the Panama case on Friday, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, agreed to respect ruling of the apex court even if it goes against the Sharif family.

The high-level meeting attended by prime minister’s close political and legal aides, federal ministers and advisors decided to fight the Panama case in the court of law, rather than on the streets. “PML-N will exploit all legal and constitutional remedies in case verdict is not favourable for the Sharif family,” a party official who attended the meeting told Daily Times on condition of anonymity. “But, taking to streets and creating uproar is totally out of question. Agitation is no solution to a legal issue … the whole party has consensus on it,” he said.

However, the participants decided that any effort to derail democracy in the garb of Supreme Court verdict will be confronted with full force. “PML-N government will complete its five-year tenure come what may,” the party official said.

The apex court on Friday concluded the hearings and reserved the judgment in the Panamagate case in which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family are accused of amassing offshore assets. The date of the judgment is yet to be announced and if convicted, the prime minister can face disqualification from politics.

“Party leadership has decided not to open up front with any of the state institutions. Reconciliation, not confrontation, is the need of the time,” the official said, adding the prime minister has strictly told all his close aides, federal ministers and party leaders to avoid irresponsible statements against state institutions, especially the judiciary.

Sources said the legal team briefed the prime minister on different aspects of the Panama Papers case as well as possible legal options the ruling family may have in hand in case of an unfavourable decision.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan didn’t attend the meeting. Sources said he was dealing with ‘routine official work’ at the Punjab House as the PM was busy with his close aides in carving out future course of action following the SC verdict in Panama case.

The prime minister, according to sources, has given task to his younger brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to bring Ch Nisar round. The relationship between Ch Nisar, who has on the record declared that he would be the first person to sever ties if corruption charges against Sharif family are proved, and Nawaz Sharif has often been ‘uneasy’ during the four-year term of the current regime. However, Nisar has fairly good terms with Shahbaz Sharif.

Apparently, Ch Nisar has decided to break silence on the political situation arising out of the Panama case as a statement issued by the Interior Ministry on Friday said that he will hold a press conference on Sunday at 5:00 pm. According to Interior Ministry’s spokesman, the minister will address the press conference at the Punjab House.

Published in Daily Times, July 22^nd , 2017.