Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said that the government had an idea about the decision of the SC but they still decided to go for a review. He said that the PML-N is a mature political party and it respects the decision of the apex court. Referring to the recent bench-bar row in Multan, he said that the government protected the judiciary after the agitation from lawyers, which was its duty. "We don't want anyone to repeat one's mistakes, including us," he said, adding that in an atmosphere where the US President makes such dangerous remarks, the country needs to stand united. He requested political workers of all political parties to consider Sunday's by-election in NA-120 as just an election and nothing more while tolerating each other with patience. "Let the people decide," he suggested. Saad Rafique said it is responsibility of the PML-N being the ruling party to run the government according to the Constitution and the law.
Dispelling the impression of any rifts within the party, Rafique said his party was united under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. The minister also stated that no one can oust former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from the political scene of the country. He also acknowledged the efforts of Maryam Nawaz for running a successful campaign for her mother Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, the party's candidate in NA-120.
State Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rehman said that the dismissal of review petitions is astonishing. "The honorable bench assured us during the last three days that our rights will be protected at all costs but while dismissing the references, the bench has not mentioned any such thing," she lamented. "We are concerned if a monitoring judge, who has ruled against us, remains on top of the case, it will influence the lower court," she added.
Prime Minister's Special Assistant Barrister Zafarullah said that the party has faith in the Constitution and the system, and the dismissal of their review petitions was not an end, and journey of sacrifices for democracy would continue. "This decision is similar to the one delivered in Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Zafar Ali Shah and Maulvi Tameezuddin cases. History and people will decide on its merit," he said, adding, "We are not anarchists." "Decisions came against us and we went in review but our viewpoint was not accepted. So, this is not the end. The journey of sacrifices would continue and time would come when democracy would strengthen and people would again repose confidence in Nawaz Sharif," the advisor said.
Sharing his party's plans to "improve the system," he said that they will push the bill, already in Parliament, to place a right of appeal in cases taken up by the apex court under Article 184(3). In response to a question, he said that a judge of the Lahore High Court was also named in the Panama Papers and he wondered why a case was not being pursued against him.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017