LAHORE: PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and Vice President Maryam Nawaz have welcomed the reports of former Islamabad accountability court judge Arshad Malik Malik’s dismissal by Lahore High Court (LHC).
The PML-N leaders said that the reported dismissal of former Islamabad accountability court judge Arshad Malik “proved the innocence” of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
On a social media website Twitter, Shehbaz Sharif said, “Mian sb’s sentence ought to be declared null and void,” said Shehbaz of his brother’s seven-year sentence in the Al Azizia corruption reference.
The LHC Administrative Committee's decision of sacking Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik establishes that Nawaz Sharif was unjustly sentenced. His innocence stands proven today. As a natural corollary, Mian sb's sentence ought to be declared null & void.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) July 3, 2020
According to sources, an administrative committee, headed by LHC Chief Justice Mohammad Qasim Khan, approved the dismissal of the accountability court judge earlier on Friday. However, no official notification has been issued in this regard as yet.
In 2019, the Islamabad High Court had removed Malik from his post amid a controversy surrounding a leaked videotape showing his purported confession that he had been “pressurized and blackmailed” to convict Nawaz Sharif in the Al Azizia corruption reference.
In a statement today, Shehbaz welcomed the reported decision of Malik’s dismissal and said that justice had finally been served. “This proves that his [Malik’s] decision was not just and [Nawaz] was punished unfairly.”
ثابت ہوگیا کہ جج نے انصاف پہ مبنی فیصلہ نہیں دیا تھا اور تین بار کے منتخب وزیراعظم کو ناحق سزا دی
سچائی سامنے آنے پر انصاف کا تقاضا ہے کہ محمد نوازشریف کے خلاف سزا کو ختم کیاجائے
لاہورہائیکورٹ کی انتظامی کمیٹی کا فیصلہ دراصل محمدنوازشریف کی بے گناہی کا ثبوت ہے
— PMLN (@pmln_org) July 3, 2020
The PML-N leader further said that in light of this, it was expected the judgment against Nawaz would be withdrawn. “The LHC administration committee’s decision is proof of his innocence,” he added.
Shehbaz appealed to party workers and the public to offer prayers of gratitude.
Meanwhile, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also welcomed the media reports, calling it a victory. “The decision has washed away a stain on Nawaz and on the institution of justice,” she tweeted.
آج کا فیصلہ بے شک سچ کی فتح اور جھوٹ کی شکست ہے۔ اس فیصلے نے نواز شریف پر ہی نہیں ،عدل و انصاف کے دامن پر لگا ایک بڑا داغ دھویا ہے۔ الّلہ کا بے انتہا شکر جس کے ہاں نا دیر ہے نا اندھیر۔ اب عدلیہ کے وقار اور انصاف کا تقاضہ ہے کہ داغدار جج کے داغدار فیصلوں کو بھی پھاڑ پھینکا جائے۔
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) July 3, 2020
Maryam said that in light of the decision, the “tainted” judge’s decision regarding Nawaz should be withdrawn.
“Justice is never incomplete. It dictates that [Malik’s] decision be declared void in the same way he was dismissed.”
It was very easy to preach about the law and the Constitution. “You need Nawaz’s bravery to face the law, knowing that you are innocent and that your spouse is on their death bed,” she added.
تین بار ملک کے وزیر اعظم رہنے والے مقبول ترین سیاست دان کی بے گناہی پر وقت کا فیصلہ آ گیا ہے۔ سات محترم جج صاحبان نے جج کی برطرفی کے ذریعے واضح کر دیا ہے کہ نوازشریف کو کس طرح سزائیں دی گئیں۔ https://t.co/3FEAeopHQJ
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) July 3, 2020
