ISLAMABAD:The Jamaat-e-Islami’s counsel Taufiq Asif on Friday pleaded that Nawaz Sharif stands disqualified as he hid London properties and his speech in the National Assembly can be used as evidence against him.
Beginning his arguments, the JI lawyer said that the PM’s speech on the floor of Parliament was contradictory as the details later shared by the Sharif family’s lawyers differ from the contents of the speech.
A five-member larger bench headed by the Justice Asif Saeed Khosa is hearing a set of petitions by the opposition parties seeking the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif and others over the revelations made in the Panama Papers.
This statement should be taken as a confession and evidence against the prime minister, he argued.
The counsel said the PM had shared the details about the family businesses and the financial resources used to purchase London flats.
Justice Khosa remarked posed two questions as to the date of the purchase of the London flats and their link with Nawaz Sharif.
Khosa observed that the Sharifs have admitted that they own the property but have not admitted that the PM purchased these flats.
Referring to Zafar Ali Shah’s case, Taufiq Asif pointed out that London flats were also mentioned in this case.
When Justice Azmat Saeed questioned whether Nawaz Sharif was a party in the case, the lawyer replied in affirmative.
At this point, PM’s lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan intervened and clarified that Nawaz Sharif was not the party in that case and the JI lawyer retracted his comments regarding it.
Reprimanding JI lawyer, Justice Gulzar said you should not be taking this case in a non-serious manner, and the prime minister had not sought immunity rather he had asked for privilege under Article 66.
The hearing was later adjourned till Monday.
