LAHORE, May 11 (NNI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz Sharif demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial step down.
A top court bench headed by the CJP Thursday declared illegal the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan as illegal.
Talking to twitter, the PML-N Chief Organizer also suggested that he should join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) like his mother-in-law and resign from his post as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
“The chief justice of Pakistan should lead the post and join the Tehreek-e-Insaf,” she twitted.
Maryam Nawaz was infuriated by the decision to release Imran Khan, whom she referred to as a “thief” who had “stolen Rs60 billion of the national treasury”.
She accused the chief justice of being happy to meet the Imran Khan and of taking pleasure in his release.
“Chief Justice was very happy today to see the person who embezzled Rs60 billion and he was even more happy to release this criminal,” she tweets.
She adds “The chief justice is responsible for the attacks on the most important and sensitive facilities of the country. He is shielding Fitna and adding fuel to the fire.
“You are the chief justice. Leave the post and join Tehreek-e-Insaaf like your mother-in-law.”
The PML-N vice president went on to criticise the chief justice’s handling of sensitive issues in the country and accused him of becoming a shield for sedition.
During the hearing, CJP Umar Ata Bandial said to Khan, “it is good to see you. We believe that Imran Khan’s arrest was illegal.”
CJP Bandial said that the IHC should hear the case tomorrow. “You will have to accept whatever the high court decides,” he added.
The CJP said that it is every politician’s responsibility to ensure law and order.
In response, the PTI chief, through the media present in the courtroom, forwarded a message to his supporters that they should refrain from damaging public and private property.
“The court will issue an appropriate order today,” the CJP said during the hearing, adding that the court was “very serious” about the matter.
“I don’t want any loss in the country nor do I wish for people to get incited. I just want free and fair elections,” the PTI chief told the court, pleading with the court that despite his responding to the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) notices, he was arrested.
In response to the court’s question about whether he knew what was going on in Pakistan, Khan — who became the first prime minister to be ousted from office through a no-confidence vote in April last year — said his mobile phone was taken away and he was unaware about what was happening in the country.
Then the PTI chief requested the CJP to send him home, but the top judge said he was not going to do that and assured him that he would “remain at peace at the Police Lines Guest House”.
“You can stay there, talk, rest, and then present yourself before the Islamabad High Court tomorrow,” CJP told Khan. The CJP then directed authorities to allow Khan to meet as many as 10 people — including his lawyers, friends, and family members. NNI
