LONDON: In continuation of his demand to hold the judiciary accountable for alleged transgressions, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday called for action against former chief justice Saqib Nisar.

In response to a question posed by a reporter outside Stanhope House, Mr Sharif said, “Action should be taken against Saqib Nisar. He violated the law and the Constitution. Others who do the same go to jail.”

He also said that some things about the former judge cannot be said on microphone.

Mr Sharif criticised the decisions the former chief justice took during his tenure. He referred to an interview of retired justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, who claimed Nisar was part of a group of judiciary acting against the spirit of democracy.

PML-N supremo calls for action against former CJP

“Shaukat Siddiqui, who came on TV yesterday, took Saqib Nisar’s name. How much more can he [Nisar] defend? He has committed crimes against the nation which are unforgivable.”

In the last few months, the former prime minister has made repeated demands to hold the judiciary, as well as former generals accountable, and criticised the judiciary’s historic role in alleged political engineering.

Most recently, Mr Sharif advocated for a reference to be filed in the Supreme Judicial Council against the bench that delivered the verdict for the Punjab elections schedule. Mr Sharif has also taken on serving CJP Umar Ata Bandial, and framed the actions of the serving CJP and past ones as efforts to bring Imran Khan to power.

Mr Sharif’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz, has already made several scathing allegations against the former chief justice, accusing him of facilitating the rise to power of her arch-rival, Imran Khan.

Last month, PM Shehbaz Sharif had also accused ex-CJP Nisar of sabotaging development projects initiated by the previous PML-N regime.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2023