LAHORE (INP): Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Tuesday that the people have dismissed the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Panama Papers case. Addressing a press conference here, he claimed scientific means were used to divide the votes of the PML-N in NA-120 by-election.
He was referring to the victory of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidate in Sunday’s NA-120 by-election. “Imran Khan dragged the Supreme Court in front of us as a political party,” claimed Sanaullah.
He was referring to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman’s reported statement that Sunday’s victory in the NA-120 by-election with a low margin shows the people stand with the Supreme Court. “To say that Supreme Court judges were offered money is contempt of court, as is saying that voting for a particular party is like voting for the Supreme Court,” said Sanaullah.
He requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan to ensure the apex court’s sanctity is kept intact and the Supreme Court is not used for political purposes by anyone. He said that any news before election day affects the poll, referring to “headlines against him and the PML-N” regarding the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case.
He claimed Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed said the Supreme Court judges were offered billions [by the government], saying that, “I think the judges who made decision are so respectable that no one can dare bribe them.” He recalled that he personally knows many of them from time when they were practicing lawyers. He said Rasheed, whom he referred to as Pindi ka Shaitan, should be questioned in this regard. These things make us think that we are also a political party and have a right to say things in our defence, he added.
He said despite all the methods employed to scare people away from polling, the voter turnout was almost 40 per cent which is highest from by-election standards, said Sanaullah. He claimed that had voting time been extended beyond 5pm, the turnout would have been 50 per cent.
Praising Maryam Nawaz for running a successful campaign for the by-election, he said there was nothing controversial in Maryam’s victory speech. He added that even in her speeches during the campaign, Maryam conveyed the party leader’s message. He asked Imran, Rasheed and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq to accept that the people of Pakistan have rejected the Supreme Court’s verdict and accepted Nawaz and his stance.
