ISLAMABAD: Tuesday September 1,2020 was not a happy day for Maryam Nawaz for sure. It was also different for her than the day when she managed to create ruckus outside a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court in Lahore last month as her supporters were not allowed to hurl stones on the court building. After the hearing, Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered PMLN supremo to surrender before the court by September 10, 2020, failing which could lead to declaring him as an absconder.
Maryam Nawaz would have been extremely jubilant when, despite heavy downpour in the federal capital, she might have seen a sizeable number of supporters gathered outside IHC to chant her much desired slogan ‘Nawaz Sharif wazira Azam’ (prime minister Nawaz Sharif), but she, obviously, was not looking shiny when she came out of the court after the hearing into the Al-Azizia reference case wherein Nawaz Sharif was asked to either surrender in next 9 days or get declared as an absconder. The court order said Nawaz Sharif, as per its record, was neither on bail nor present here today for the hearing.
The court observed it was not yet declaring Nawaz Sharif as absconder, but if he fails to surrender within stipulated time the law of the land will prevail. This order was perhaps unexpected for Maryam Nawaz who visibly looked disturbed over the new development. This unexpected twist in Al-Azizia reference has changed the ground reality for Nawaz Sharif as well. He either has to come back to face the trial or wait in London for even more troubled days. His politic also hinges on his decision to come back. If he stays away and does not muster courage to surrender before IHC to face the case he will lose massively politically and otherwise.
His emergent call from UK to Senator Doctor, Asif Karmani, soon after IHC order shows how concerned he was to the new situation. Shibli Faraz, federal Information minister, also dwelled on the issue in his routine press briefing held here on Tuesday. He reminded Nawaz Sharif to appear before the court and face the trial rather than leaking his photos of leisure time to the media. “By sending photo of leisure time in London, actually he (Nawaz Sharif) tried to send his CV”.
Shibli told Nawaz Sharif since he was three time elected prime minister of this country he should appear before the court and defend his case. Earlier, former prime minister and PMLN top leader, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, while talking to the media outside the court premises accused the government of creating hurdles outside IHC building to stop PMLN workers from expressing solidarity with their leader—Maryam Nawaz. He warned Imran government that its days were numbered and it should get ready to face what he was forcing the opposition to face in the name of accountability.