PPP Chairman claims election put on hold for Nawaz Sharif’s return
IHC fixes Nawaz’s protective bail petitions for Oct 19,
Karachi/Islamabad_PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that democracy and elections in Pakistan have been put on hold for one man’s return to the country.
“Homecoming is a good thing as everybody should contribute to the development of Pakistan. The previous 16-month government has proved that Pakistan’s affairs cannot be run from London,” he said while addressing a party rally in memory of the Karsaz incident victims in Karachi.
Taking a dig at Nawaz Sharif without naming him, Zardari said that he hoped that the homecoming would be a big event as the state has backed his return.
“We hope that the Election Commission of Pakistan will then give us the elections’ date and schedule very soon,” he added.
Zardari said that there was a need to show tolerance for differences of opinion in the political atmosphere of Pakistan to steer the country out of its political and economic troubles.
“Our society has been destroyed due to divisive and abusive politics. We need to come out of this environment and introduce a new vision to resolve the country’s issues,” he added.
The PPP chief said that the elections and parliament are necessary for representing the masses. “The Parliament is a place where the opinions of all are heard and then come to a collective decision to address the challenges.”
Read: PTI, PPP claim Nawaz’s return is part of some ‘deal’
The PPP has set such examples in the past, as it has shown that a consensus can be reached despite having differences, he added.
He also paid tribute to the people of Palestine for their resilience in their struggle for the right to self-determination, while condemning the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
“The people of Pakistan are standing with the Palestinians. You were not alone yesterday, you are not alone today, you won’t be alone tomorrow, you won’t ever be alone as long as Pakistan exists,” Bilawal said.
While,
A two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court issued notices to authorities in petitions for protective bail filed by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield case, on which the hearing has started on Wednesday. The matter will be heard again on Thursday.
The divisional bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb took up the bail petitions hours after they were filed by Nawaz’s lawyers ahead of his return to the country.
Nawaz Sharif is arriving in Pakistan on October 21 after four years of exile in London.
Nawaz’s lawyers requested protective bail in Al-Aziziya case and Avenfield case in light of the IHC’s previous verdicts.
Lawyer Amjad Pervaiz argued that the courts have traditionally provided a chance to people who surrendered infront of the court. He added that people declared absoconders have also been given protective bails.
He also added that Nawaz had never misused his bail from courts.
In response, the National Accountability Bureau’s prosecutor said that there was no objection if someone wanted to surrender infront of the court. However, he said that the NAB chairman was currently outside the country.
The bench then issued notices to all parties in the case and adjourned the hearing.
Nawaz had been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Avenfield case and seven years in the Al-Aziziya case.
His bail applications had been disposed of in June 2021 after he did not show up in court. The IHC has also declared him a absconder.
Nawaz’s lawyers will request protective bail in order to allow him to appear before court for renewal of the bail application.
The PMLN chief has also been declared as an absconder in the Toshakhana case by an accountability court.
Nawaz is set to return to Pakistan after nearly four years in exile. He had travlled abroad in 2019 after the Lahore High Court allowed him to seek medical treatment abroad.
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