Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif on today (Apr. 17) said the court should make clear what ‘anti-judiciary’ means, adding that everyone has the right to dissent.
The former premier was referring to recent Lahore High Court’s verdict wherein it has temporarily barred TV channels from airing alleged “anti-judiciary speeches” uttered by Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and 14 other senior party leaders.
Talking to reporters outside the accountability court conducting corruption proceedings against the Sharif family, Nawaz said, “We cannot restrict someone from speaking. Uncivilized restrictions cannot be placed in the country.”
Sharif called for an end to muzzling media and individuals. Such verdicts are only delivered in Pakistan, he said.
He went on to add that he had time and again stressed the importance of respecting the Constitution, law and people’s mandate.
I kept on speaking about the rights of 220 million people, he said. How one can deprive them of their rights, Sharif said.
The ousted premier said Pakistan belonged to everyone equally and every citizen had the same rights. Everyone has the right to dissent, no one’s voice can be muzzled, he said.
Sharif said the nation was in the grip of instability. He stressed the importance of overcoming the challenge.
