Earlier, a media report emerged claiming that former chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan Justice (R) Rana Shamim took oath and signed the affidavit trying to incriminate former Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar in PML-N’s London office.
The report caused quite a storm in Pakistan. PTI leaders began lambasting the Sharif family. Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry even equated the Sharif family with the Sicilian mafia.
In his tweet, the information minister said that Sharifs “blackmail the institutions, including the courts, like a mafia.”
However, Rana Shamim’s son, Ahmed Hassan Rana, said the signing of the affidavit in Nawaz Sharif’s office is not a big issue. He made the claims while talking to a private media channel.
Read more: Fawad Chaudhry shares audio clip of Nawaz Sharif calling himself corrupt
راناشمیم نے جسٹس ثاقب نثار اور اسلام آباد ہائیکورٹ کے جج صاحبان کیخلاف حلف نامہ نواز شریف کے دفتر میں ان کے سامنے Notarise کرایا،نئےانکشافات نےایک بار پھر شریف فیملی کو سیسیلین مافیا ثابت کیا ہے کہ کس طرح وہ ایک مافیا کی طرح عدالتوں سمیت اداروں کو بلیک میل کرنےکی صلاحیت رکھتےہیں pic.twitter.com/MBPx0V1jpY
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) December 26, 2021
According to Ahmed Hassan, the location of signing the affidavit does not change its contents or authenticity. While re-affirming his support for his father, Ahmed Hassan said his father will be asked three questions in court; did he sign the affidavit in London, did he sign it in the presence of Nawaz Sharif, if yes, then a third question will be asked that whether or not he is involved with the Sharif family.
“He will say no and the discussion will end,” Ahmed Hassan said while highlighting the questions.
The anchorperson further pressed on about Rana Shamim signing the affidavit in front of Nawaz Sharif. In response, Ahmed Hassan said there is no harm in that.
“Did he commit a sign by signing the affidavit in presence of Mian Nawaz?” Ahmed Hassan questioned. According to Ahmed Hassan, if Nawaz Sharif wanted to use the affidavit for his personal agenda, then he would have done it three years ago at the time of elections.
Controversy surrounding the affidavit
Last month, news surfaced that Rana Shamim claimed in a notarized affidavit that Saqib Nisar directed a high court to not release Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz on bail at any cost before the 2018 general elections.
Saqib Nisar on the other hand denied the allegations and further hit back by saying Shamim had asked him for an extension but he didn’t accept his request, adding that the ex-GB CJ had also complained to him about the same.
Read more: Original video clip of Saqib Nisar surfaces after fake audio clip
The whole issue divided Pakistan with PTI calling the accusations against Saqib Nisar as absurd. Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah initiated contempt of court proceedings against Rana Shamim, and those responsible for breaking the initial news.
During the proceedings, Rana Shamim said he didn’t know how the journalist got hold of his affidavit. He said the sealed affidavit was with this family and submitted the original affidavit. Rana Shamim admitted that the content published in the newspapers was not the same as the contents of the affidavit.
Moreover, Ahmed Hassan, in a sensational interview, confirmed the association of his father with Nawaz Sharif. He added that his father also served as the vice-president of PML-N Sindh in the past and was Nawaz’s legal representative in the Memogate scandal case.
The claims and ambiguities threw the authenticity of the affidavit into question. People believe this was deliberately done by the PML-N camp to win favor in light of the upcoming elections.
Read more: Son of justice Rana Shamim plans own political party, Shaan-e-Pakistan