Even the 'favourite' was forced to question the verdict, says Maryam

SARGODHA: Maryam Nawaz, daughter of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, on Saturday said even the ladla (favourite) was forced question the apex court's recent verdict. 

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday announced its verdict on petitions challenging the Elections Act 2017, ruling that a person disqualified under Article 62 and 63 cannot serve as the head of a political party.

The decision by the three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar is considered another blow to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) as Nawaz Sharif will no longer remain the party’s president. As a result of the verdict, all decisions taken by Nawaz Sharif as PML-N’s president stand null and void.  

The former first daughter told the crowd that she has brought Pakistan’s trial, not Nawaz Sharif’s, to the court of the public.

Addressing a social media workers’ convention, she lamented that the recent decision by the Supreme Court disqualifying Nawaz Sharif as the president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ridiculed the people's vote.

"This joke does not just ridicule PML-N, or Nawaz Sharif. It [ridicules] you, the public," she said. 

"This is a dictatorship. First, [they] disqualified Nawaz for not taking salary from his son, then [they] stripped him of party presidency."

The former first daughter reiterated her earlier rallying call and asked the people to not follow or believe those who hatch conspiracies against democracy or the government. 

"Nawaz Sharif is fighting your war. He is fighting for the sanctity of your vote."

She added that the people have to fall behind Nawaz and participate in his struggle as that "is the people's struggle".

During her address to party workers, she also urged party supporters to join social media platforms to support and defend her father in the virtual space.

Maryam was earlier presented with a gold crown weighing 20 tolas by Sargodha Mayor Malik Aslam Naveed, as a gift from the people of Sargodha. 

She later said she would donate the crown to an organisation working for orphans.