After the dismissal of former Islamabad accountability court judge Arshad Malik, PML-N on Friday said that it is “proved the innocence” of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif sentenced for corruption charge.
PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif by a Twitt said “The LHC Administrative Committee’s decision of sacking Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik establishes that Nawaz Sharif was unjustly sentenced. His innocence stands proven today. As a natural corollary, Mian sb’s sentence ought to be declared null & void”.
PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also hailed the media reports, calling it a victory. “The decision has washed away a stain on Nawaz and on the institution of justice.” “Justice is never incomplete. It dictates that [Malik’s] decision be declared void in the same way he was dismissed.”Maryam twitted.
Senator Shibli Faraz commented :
“Judge Arshad Malik’s dismissal from service is the drop scene of an era where certain judges were black mailed through cronies. PMĹ N & it’s leadership should apologise to the nation for patronising blackmailing & corruption, traits of mafioso mindset”.
Last year in July, the Islamabad High Court had removed Malik from his post amid a controversy surrounding a leaked videotape showing his purported confession that he had been “pressurised and blackmailed” to convict Nawaz Sharif in the Al Azizia corruption reference. In his affidavit, the judge had denied the party’s claim, saying he had been blackmailed by PML-N supporters through an “immoral video”. But he admitted to meeting with Nawaz at Jati Umra residence and his son Hussain in Saudi Arabia. The controversy continued as Maryam released two more video clips “in support” of the first one.
A notification issued by the IHC registrar had said: “The disclosure and admission made by Mr Muhammad Arshad Malik, district & sessions judge/former judge accountability court-II Islamabad in a press release dated July 7, 2019 and the affidavit dated July 11, 2019, prima facie, constitute acts of misconduct and violation of the code of conduct, which warrant initiation of disciplinary proceedings against him.”
A seven-member administration committee, headed by the then LHC chief justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan, on Aug 26, 2019 had approved an inquiry against District and Sessions Judge Arshad Malik. The Inquiry found him guilty resultant in his dismissal by Lahore High Court.
