Zardari condemns SC decision, demands resignation from PM

ISLAMABAD: Co-Chairman Pakistan People's Party Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday condemned the Supreme Court's decision on Panama Leaks case and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Speaking to the press, along with the party stalwarts, Zardari said, "I condemn this nine-month joke with the nation. I condemn this justice and judgment;” further adding, “today democracy and justice were adversely affected."

He demanded resignation from the PM Nawaz by saying: “Prime minister should morally tender his resignation though I know him well that he will not resign till the last extent - our struggle will continue till then.”

Zardari, however, was all praises for the two judges who ruled against PM Nawaz.

“I salute the two senior judges who gave the disqualification verdict against Prime Minister – decision of senior judges prevails over junior judges,” he said.

Speaking on the verdict, the former president said that the overall decision was a nine-month joke with the nation.

“Can a 19-grade officer under the Prime Minister do what the Supreme Court couldn't?, ” he remarked, “Will they investigate him, will they  disqualify him, will they take the statement from the Prime Minister from the PM house or police station.”

Taking a jibe at the ruling party, Zardari said that the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz should be ashamed of distributed sweets after the Panama verdict.

“They are distributing sweets, they should be ashamed. Why are they distributing sweets? Because two senior judges have called for their disqualification; they have said that you have not remained Saadiq and Ameen.”

He said that PPP has always said that the party and nation have never gotten justice from these judges.

Zardari also levelled heavy criticism against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan by calling him an "inexperienced politician."

“We said to Khan sahib to come with us and do legislation on this issue, and then later take it to the Supreme Court – he didn’t listen to us.” “He is an inexperienced politician, he has never been jailed, and he has never given his statement in a FIR.

“He doesn’t know how the justice works and how judges do justice here.”

SC orders JIT to probe money trail, PM not disqualified

 The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered further investigations into corruption allegations leveled by the opposition against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, saying there was insufficient evidence to order his removal from office.

"A thorough investigation is required," Justice Asif Saeed Khosa said, announcing the highly anticipated decision following a months-long hearing stemming from the Panama Papers leak last year that linked PM Sharif´s children to offshore businesses.

Announcing the verdict, Justice Khosa ordered the formation of a Joint Investigation team (JIT) to carry out an investigation into how funds were transferred to Qatar, which the prime minister's children said led to assets held by his sons through the offshore businesses in Panama.

The Supreme Court ordered the JIT to present its report every two weeks before a Supreme Court bench. The court also ordered Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and his sons Hasan and Hussein to appear before the JIT, which will complete its investigation within 60 days of its formation.

Justice Khosa said the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had failed to carry out his duties.

He said the investigation committee comprising of one senior official each from NAB, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and the Military Intelligence (MI) will be tasked to carry out the probe.

The detailed decision by the apex court comprised of 540 pages, with the verdict split 3-2 between the five-member apex court bench.

Two dissenting judges on the five-member bench were of the opinion that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had not been honest to the nation and that he should have been disqualified.

The five-member bench led by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa had reserved its verdict in the case on February 23. The decision comes ahead of general elections scheduled to be held next year.