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Saturday, March 16, 2024

Accountability court rejects exemption plea: Sharifs play Kulsoom’s health card

News Analysis |

The accountability court, investigating the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, has rejected the pleas filed by the Sharif family, seeking exemption from physical appearance in the graft references filed by the National Accountability Bureau on the directives of the Supreme Court.

With the latest dismissal, the former ruling family has once again brought out the health concerns of Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of former Premier, Nawaz Sharif, apparently for garnering public support on the corruption trial, that is visibly going against them, with the damaging revelations put forth by Wajid Zia, the head of six-member Joint Investigation Team.

As a matter of fact, the accountability proceedings going on in Pakistan would merely be affected by the ‘health card’ held high by the former ruling family, though the ‘tainted’ leaders would keep on using this.

Maryam Nawaz, the former first daughter, who keeps on interacting with the social media buffs – as the de-facto leader of the party and heir apparent of Nawaz Sharif – had uploaded a picture of her London tour recently, revealing that she was meeting her mother after five months, in an emotional tweet.

In another post on Friday, Maryam Nawaz detailed that Kulsoom had become too frail due to excessive vomiting, seeking prayers for her early recovery. Maryam Nawaz also captured the moments showing Nawaz Sharif carrying her mother for another radiotherapy session.

Read more: Why has Kulsoom left for London amid the run-up to the…

Moreover, Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz ‘Quaid for life’ had disclosed in a media interaction on Thursday, that the medical tests had implied a growth of cancer cells in Kulsoom’s body, urging the public to pray for the recovery of her ailing wife and all the other patients around the world.

Kulsoom Nawaz, who had won the NA-120 bye-elections in September – without showing up for even a single time in the constituency – had to travel to London in August, last year for her treatment, where she was diagnosed with Lymphoma. However, the health issue of Kulsoom Nawaz was constantly being utilized by the Sharif family, in a bid to create a smokescreen, before the accountability court, conducting a landmark probe against them.

In the latest directives by the accountability court, Judge Muhammad Bashir has granted a single-day exemption to the former ruling family, setting aside their seven-day exemption plea.

The wife of former Premier, Nawaz Sharif, apparently for garnering public support on the corruption trial, that is visibly going against them, with the damaging revelations put forth by Wajid Zia, the head of six-member Joint Investigation Team.

What could give an impetus to the heartfelt posts of Maryam Nawaz in days to come– while avoiding to present evidence in their support before the court – is the fact that the accountability court also admitted the plea filed by the anti-corruption body for new documents submission, regarding the ownership of Avenfield Properties.

The new documents, which would further bolster the case of National Accountability Bureau and would endanger the credibility of claims furnished by Sharif family in the last one and a half years, relate to the registry record of Sharifs upscale London flats. Although the Sharif family has been successful in garnering the support over the issue of Kulsoom Nawaz’ health, some questions still remains unanswered.

Read more: What if Kulsoom Nawaz doesn’t win from NA-120?

Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif have jointly ruled the country for over two decades, with a landslide majority. The latest stint of Sharif duo is also impressive, not in terms of performance, but in terms of unflinching tenures. Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Minister, Punjab has been ruling the province from last 10 years, however, not a single hospital in the province has been established to effectively treat the cancer-suffering patients.

In the latest directives by the accountability court, Judge Muhammad Bashir has granted a single-day exemption to the former ruling family, setting aside their seven-day exemption plea.

The Chief Minister- who knows the art to resonate with the masses through hollow claims and stage ‘performances’ – had vowed in December last year that he would not have to go elsewhere for his treatment from now on as he addressed the audience after the inauguration of Liver & Kidney Transplant Centre, however, ironically, the Chief Minister flew off to London in March for his treatment.

Moreover, the three-term Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also announced to establish 40 state-of-the-art hospitals across the country, after he underwent treatment at a hospital in London following his cardiac ailment, however, no one is aware of the development in this regard.

Read more: It is Yasmeen vs Kulsoom in NA-120

Though the political rivals of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz keep on displaying humanitarian gestures by praying for early recovery of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, even then, they rationally question the performance of Sharif brothers, in being incapable to construct a single hospital in the country, where they could also undergo treatment.

As a matter of fact, the accountability proceedings going on in Pakistan would merely be affected by the ‘health card’ held high by the former ruling family, though the ‘tainted’ leaders would keep on using this.