LONDON: PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif hit out at the Supreme Court order on the Punjab elections schedule, saying it is a “charge sheet against the three-member bench” that delivered it.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference held at Stanhope House, Mr Sharif said a reference should be filed in the Supreme Judicial Council against the bench, which includes CJP Umar Ata Bandial, and dubbed the decision a “one-man show” and “attempt to rewrite the Constitution”.

“What was wrong with a full bench? Why this insistence on a three-member bench? Daal mein kuch kaala hai, this decision could only have come from this bench,” he said.

“Look at the efforts underway to bring one individual to power. I don’t understand the double standards: we were removed in one minute — what did we do? People are removed, others installed, hanged, dictators are facilitated through the doctrine of necessity, but prime ministers are given one final push,” he said, hitting out at the judiciary’s history of giving political judgements.

Scuffle breaks out between PTI, PML-N workers at ex-PM’s London office

He rued that he was labelled “godfather” and part of the “Sicilian mafia” when was the prime minister. He recalled an incident where Justice Azmat Saeed remarked in a case about the promotion of a government official that ‘the PM should know there is plenty of room in Adiala jail’.

He said it was ironic that courts facilitated dictators by invoking the doctrine of necessity but never used the same for prime ministers, adding that “nothing has changed”.

“This is a one-man show in the words of three judges. How can one entity be allowed to become PM, CEC, defence minister and parliament?”

He appealed that the nation should wake up as certain people “are destroying Pakistan” .

PTI-PML-N workers’ scuffle

Meanwhile, a scuffle broke out between PTI protestors and PML-N workers as Mr Sharif left Stanhope House, the party’s de facto office in London.

PTI workers chanted slogans as the former prime minister left the building to sit in a car, and PML-N workers formed a protective ring around him. The scuffle broke out shortly thereafter, with both sides accusing each other of striking first.

Met police officers were called to the scene by PML-N workers, and both sides gave their version of events to the police. Police officers were heard asking bystanders for video footage of the incident to investigate the matter.

Published in Dawn, April 5rd, 2023