LAHORE: PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday said the PML-N was “targeting” Supreme Court judges (SC) in a bid to get a three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial and Justices Masoor Ali Shah and Justice Ijazul Ahsan dissolved and stop its verdict on amendments to the accountability law.
After coming into power in April, the incumbent government had passed the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Act 2022 for amendments to the accountability law — a move that was heavily criticised by PTI, who termed the legislation an attempt to turn the anti-graft watchdog into a “toothless” organisation.
In June, former prime minister Imran Khan challenged the amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance. The petition stated that the amendments will “virtually eliminate any white-collar crime committed by a public office holder.”
Speaking to the media in Lahore today, Chaudhry specifically referred to PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz’s address at a workers’ convention yesterday, alleging that the ruling party was running a “campaign” against superior court judges.
“And the only objective of this campaign is that the bench hearing NAB amendment cases gets dissolved and doesn’t issue its verdict.
“The Rs1,100 billion raked in by the Sharif and Zardari families via what we call the NRO 2023 (a reference to the legislation for amendments to NAB laws) — the Supreme Court is being targeted to protect this (NRO),” he added.
In this connection, he also mentioned recently surfaced audio clips, purportedly featuring the voices of judges’ relatives.
“You see audio clips surfacing […] that are spread, and Maryam Nawaz has said on record that she also has access to videos. So we should also be prepared for videos of judges being surfaced,” he said.
The PTI leader further said that the three judges hearing cases pertaining to NAB law amendments had the support of the entire country. “Entire Pakistan is standing with you (judges), so don’t fall victim to any blackmailing and make independent decisions.”
He urged the judges to make decisions in accordance with the law and Constitution, saying that “getting the judgements implemented is the people’s job”.
He also announced that PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, had decided to send a “notice” to Maryam, informing the PML-N leader that a criminal case was being registered against her for “damaging the reputation” of the former first lady.
Chaudhry also chastised Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, accusing him of misconduct in appointments to the Election Commission of Pakistan.
He said the only hurdle in conducting free and fair elections was the CEC himself and it is because of him that overseas Pakistani would not be able to vote in the elections.
