'People will give the real verdict on July 25,' says Shahbaz minutes after Avenfield judgement

Published July 6, 2018
PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif addresses a press conference following his brother Nawaz Sharif's  sentencing. —AFP
PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif addresses a press conference following his brother Nawaz Sharif's sentencing. —AFP

PML-N Chairman Shahbaz Sharif on Friday termed the day as a "black day" while addressing a press conference minutes after the Avenfield corruption reference verdict was announced.

"They were calling him everyday. There was even talk of holding hearings on weekends," Shahbaz said while adding that Nawaz also "appeared before the accountability court 109 times".

He said that there are other cases in which corruption "has been proven in black and white" and yet no verdicts were announced against the culprits.

"Supreme Court Justice Rehmat Hussain Jaffrey in the Nandipur case said the commission report points towards Babar Awan as the person responsible and should therefore have been acted against — and yet no action was taken against him," he said while presenting an example of such a case.

"The person they did choose to announce a verdict against was Nawaz Sharif. No one can deny that Nawaz made Pakistan a nuclear power," Shahbaz said, while recounting a list of the "many gifts" his brother has given the nation.

"Even our biggest political opponent cannot say that the promises the party made in the 2013 election, have not been delivered upon by Nawaz Sharif," Shahbaz said.

"Nawaz is a man whose wife is between life and death — even that was not given any consideration. Is this justice? Is this humanity?" he said while adding that even Kulsoom Nawaz's illness was given a political colour by his opponents.

Announcing that he would take this case to the people, for the "ultimate verdict," Shahbaz said, "The NAB court has announced its verdict — but the court of the people still remains."

"I will personally go to all corners of Pakistan and tell the people about this injustice and then on July 25 after saying fajr prayers, the people will cast their votes and give their ultimate verdict," Shahbaz announced during the press conference.

Announcing that all future PML-N rallies will be considered a mode of peaceful protest, Shahbaz also said, "In this situation — after today's verdict — I would like to announce that we will take all legal action possible so that justice may be served."

Concluding his address, Shahbaz said that he wishes to remind the nation that "you are are azeem Pakistanis, don't be heartbroken by this verdict."

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