Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Vice-President and daughter of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz has said that former judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui is being punished for speaking the truth, insisting on an independent inquiry against the former judge, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

She was talking to media outside Islamabad High Court on Wednesday,

While referring to the case of former Islamabad High Court justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, Maryam called for an independent inquiry into the allegation of justice Siddiqui. She said justice Siddiqui should not be punished for speaking truth. 

She said that the court should understand that it was not a matter of a single judge. She said If one judge tells another judge that it was beyond his demure then he should also understand that the judiciary should take such steps where nobody could obtain wrong judgements from any judge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGOJpQ2ZTX4

Justice Siddiqui was removed from the office on the recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) under Article 209 of the Constitution for “displaying a conduct unbecoming of a judge” when he delivered a speech at the District Bar Association, Rawalpindi, on July 21, 2018.

Former judge Siddiqui had alleged that the agencies were manipulating judicial proceedings in several cases. 

Presently the Supreme Court is hearing an appeal filed by Siddiqui against his removal from the office.

Maryam said that the statement of former FIA DG Bashir Memon showed that how the authorities used state institutions for the purpose of political revenge.

Last month, former FIA chief Memon alleged that he was pressured by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Law Minister Farogh Naseem and PM Adviser on Accountability Mirza Shahzad Akbar to open a probe against Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faiz Isa — allegations that were rebutted by the government officials. 

On the matter of drone bases, she said the international media had informed that the government had given air bases to the US. She said it was a matter of grave concern. She said such deals could not be reached through clandestine talks. She, however, said the government had not denied it anyhow.  She said she would oppose to grant the Pakistan air bases to America. 

She alleged that the government had given Kashmir to India. In the same way it is giving Pakistani land to the US, she added. She said the PTI in order to save its government, had resorted to mean tactics. 

Maryam has said there is no division in the Pakistan Democratic Movement as all parties which are part of the movement have same point of view, insisting that they hold the same perspective which is held by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

She said People’s Party was no longer the part PDM. She said she didn’t think there should be any talk on this issue. 

On National Accountability Bureau (NAB), she said Prime Minister Imran Khan in fact was the chairman NAB. She mocked that remove one and appoint the other. She said the way the NAB chairman had become a tool in the hands of Imran, the PM would have to face such things in the future. 

The PML-N vice president said that the government was doctoring economic figures and informed that her party would make a party regarding budget. 

She said that resignations worked only when all parties resigned en masse. She said that government had reached the pinnacle of bad governance. She said the present government was responsible for the Monday train tragedy in Daharki. She said to conceal its inefficiency, the government was putting blame on the opposition. 

On loadshedding, she said when her party came into power, at that time the country was facing 22 hours long loadshedding. She said her party never said that the previous government could not do anything. She said when the PTI government came into power, there was zero loadshedding. But due to PTI government’s inefficiency, loadshedding is increasing, she maintained. 

Reporter Ehtisham Kiyani