Quit or face movement, lawyers warn Sharif

lahore — In light of the Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Papers case, the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) on Saturday gave an ultimatum to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif: resign within a week, or face a lawyers’ movement bigger than the one that followed ex-chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry’s ouster in 2007, report Dawn online.

The demand comes days after the verdict was announced, directing that a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) be instituted to investigate the prime minister and his sons for alleged corruption.

LHCBA President Zulfiqar Chaudhry and other officials presented their demand for the PM’s resignation at a Press conference. Chaudhry stressed that if the prime minister does not relinquish his post within a week, they will launch a movement bigger than the lawyers’ movement for restoration of the deposed judges. “The (Panama Papers case) decision is unanimous,” said Chaudhry, referring to Thursday’s verdict.

“Throughout the world, public office holders implicated in the Panama (Papers) scandal have relinquished their posts, but the prime minister is adamant to stay in power,” he complained, emphasising that the bar association’s demand for PM’s resignation was legitimate and fair.

“How can officers under the PM conduct a fair investigation into the PM’s alleged corruption?” asked Chaudhry.

Rashid Lodhi, vice president of the bar association, said: “This is the first time that such a high-profile case of corruption went up to the Supreme Court and some pertinent questions were raised by the court regarding the prime minister’s money trail. These questions cannot be put ignored.”