ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz has decided to file an application before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking to expose ‘conspirators’ behind the Avenfield reference.

Talking to reporters after attending court proceedings on Wednesday, the PML-N leader said she would file an application to reveal the characters behind the preparation and filing of the reference and what had led to her conviction in the Avenfield reference.

Ms Nawaz was earlier granted permission by the IHC bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani to file an application to bring what she said ‘essential facts’ on judicial record.

The court also allowed her to arrange another lawyer to plead her case as her Lahore-based counsel Amjad Pervaiz was unable to travel to Islamabad twice a week due to backache.

Warns govt against meddling in Afghanistan’s internal affairs

Ms Nawaz later told journalists she had requested the court that her appeal against conviction in the Avenfield reference be heard on merit so that she could produce each and every detail related to the reference. “I will tell the court how the case was made, who was pulling the strings and how he had succeeded,” she vowed.

According to her, it would be unfair if the case would proceed without settling issues pertaining to the case that she said was based on vendetta.

In May 2018, PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif in the Avenfield reference claimed that he was facing the trial because of implicating former dictator Pervez Musharraf in a high treason case. He also alleged a spymaster had conveyed him a message to “resign or go on a long leave” when the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) had staged a sit-in in Islamabad. He claimed that references and sit-in were aimed at reprimanding him for taking legal action against dictator Musharraf despite being ‘warned against’ it.

In response to a question “who would be the PML-N’s candidate for premiership”, the vice president of the party termed it premature and said: “PML-N will announce the candidate at an appropriate time or when other parties will also reveal their candidates.”

However, she linked the candidature of party president Shehbaz Sharif with the nod of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif as well as party leadership: “Mian Shehbaz Sharif is the president of the party. We will extend wholehearted support to him and will stand beside him if Mian Nawaz Sharif and the party will nominate him.”

Talking about situation in Afghanistan, the PML-N leader warned the PTI government against meddling in internal matters of Afghanistan. “Afghanistan is a sovereign country. One should not impose decision on them. Pakistan should accept the will of Afghan people and along with the international community should continue to rebuild Afghanistan and rehabilitate Afghan people.”

She said the PTI had miserably failed to run the country as well as the largest province, Punjab. She said the people would react against the unpopular government that had been imposed on them. She expressed the hope that Pakistan would soon see the ‘real and positive’ change, not the fake one that the PTI had promised to the people.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2021