Dual standard of law won’t be accepted: Nawaz
'Everything we have said about double standards is being proven right'
December 16, 2017
LONDON: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, reacting to Imran Khan and Jahangir Tareen's case verdict, said on Saturday that dual standard of law will not be accepted and the decision "speaks for itself".
"The decision speaks for itself," said the former prime minister while addressing media in London. "Everything we have said about double standards is being proven right."
Nawaz further said that such dual standards will not be tolerated and he would run a strong campaign against it.
“My struggle is for the supremacy of law and constitution and I will pay whatever price it takes but won’t let things continue the way they are at present.”
Referring to the Panama Papers verdict which led to his disqualification from the office of prime minister, Nawaz said, "My imaginary salary was considered an asset, but transactions worth thousands of pounds conducted through Niazi Services, which Imran Khan has confessed to himself, are not being considered as assets".
"The [Supreme Court] bench gave an explanation on Imran’s behalf," added Nawaz.
"Imran petitioned against me and sat back while the bench fought the case on Imran’s behalf, however, when we petitioned against Imran, the bench became Imran’s advocate," claimed the PML-N chief.
Expressing his dissatisfaction at the Panama Papers verdict which disqualified him from holding public office, Nawaz said that a sitting prime minister was disqualified on the basis of an iqama, but an individual who has confessed [to his wrongdoings] has been let off the hook.
“This deal won’t be accepted in Pakistan,” he said. “Around two weeks back, I had said that Nawaz will be disqualified yet again in the verdict of the reference against Imran and Tareen, and that is exactly what has happened.”
Nawaz, along with his daughter Maryam, will be arriving back in Pakistan on Sunday morning.
The former prime minister had departed for London on December 4 after being exempted from appearing before the court to attend to his ailing wife Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.
The Supreme Court, in its judgment on Friday, ruled that Tareen cannot be termed honest and stands disqualified for life as per Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution. It also said the PTI leader used suspicious terms in his statements to the court, besides not declaring his offshore company.
However, the chief justice ruled that Imran is not disqualified as a parliamentarian as the petitioner was not directly affected in the foreign funding case.
The three-member bench had reserved the verdict in the disqualification petition against the two PTI leaders on November 14.
Judgment by the apex court stated that Imran wasn't bound to declare his offshore company, declared his London flat in an amnesty scheme and that his former wife Jemima gave Imran the funds for buying the Bani Gala estate.
