Panama verdict to be in accordance with law, constitution: Shehbaz Sharif

KASUR: Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif said the verdict on the Panama leaks case, scheduled to be announced at 2 PM today, will be in accordance with the law and Constitution of Pakistan.

While inaugurating a wheat harvesting campaign in Kasur’s Fatahpur district, mere hours before the much-awaited Panama verdict, Sharif said the Supreme Court’s decision will be in line with the law.

“Mian Nawaz Sharif is our prime minister today, he will remain our prime minister tomorrow,” the chief minister said.

He stressed that civilised nations accept decisions of the judiciary.

“But those who rob the poor rant about corruption,” he said, alluding to the opposition.

At 2 PM today, the apex court will announce "not a short but a long detailed judgement" on the Panama Papers revelation that the prime minister's children owned offshore companies dealing in millions of dollars in property transactions.

The case had drawn widespread media attention over the past year. Today, the Supreme Court could take a range of steps. It could clear the prime minister, or order a further judicial commission of inquiry or even declare him ineligible to hold office, as it did in 2012 with then-Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani over a contempt of court case.

Politicians have expressed mixed reactions, but almost all have pinned their hopes on a decision they said could be 'historic'.

Read: Expert Opinion: What will the Panama Judgment entail?

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up around the Supreme Court at Islamabad's Constitution Avenue. Additional barriers have been placed and barbed wires laid around several buildings.

Around 1,000 police, Rangers and security personnel will be deployed inside and outside the apex court building, said SP Security.

Read: Security beefed up around Supreme Court as all eyes on Panama verdict

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has barred his party activists from going to the apex court on the occasion of announcement of the Panama verdict.

PTI chairman Imran Khan has also restricted his workers from coming to the apex court. He said only central leaders of the party will go to the Supreme Court.