Nawaz Sharif
Nawaz Sharif speaks to the media in London. Image Credit: Twitter

Islamabad: Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and other PML-N leaders were booked in a treason case on Monday. The case has been registered at Lahore’s Shahdara police station following a complaint lodged by a citizen, Badar Rasheed.

“Conspiracy against Pakistan”

The First Information Report (FIR) alleges that Nawaz Sharif is involved in ‘conspiring’ against the country and state institutions through “provocative speeches” from London. The complainant states that Nawaz is convicted by the courts and is currently facing several corruption cases. “Instead of availing medical treatment in London, Nawaz is carrying out a planned conspiracy to malign the country and its institutions through hateful and provocative speeches,” the FIR notes.

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In the speeches made on September 20 and October 1, the former premier “endorsed the policies of our enemy state India” in an attempt to promote Indian’s agenda to “keep Pakistan on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list.” The allegations added that the prime purpose of “Nawaz’s speech is to isolate Pakistan internationally,” the complaint says, adding that Nawaz is trying to turn the people against the democratically elected government. The FIR also names party leaders Maryam Nawaz, Rana Sanaullah, Ahsan Iqbal, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pervez Rashid, Marriyum Aurangzeb and others that participated in the PML-N’s key meetings last week.

Charges

The case has been registered under Section 10 (cyberterrorism) of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (2016), and these sections of the Pakistan Penal Code: 120-A (definition of criminal conspiracy), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 121-A (conspiracy to wage war against Pakistan), 123-A (condemnation of the creation of the country and advocating the abolishment of its sovereignty), 124-A (sedition) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups).

PML-N lashes out at the government

Reacting to the news, PML-N spokesperson Marriyam Aurangzeb, denounced the charges and said that the “truth cannot be suppressed by false cases of treason”.

In his first press conference after being appointed as spokesperson of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, Mohammad Zubair condemned the government’s move to declare the opposition PML-N leaders as “traitors” and urged to end this practice. He lashed out at Special Assistant Dr Shahbaz Gill who had alleged that Nawaz was targeting the army after it “questioned his anti-state activities” and connection “with Indian premier Narendra Modi and his business partnership with Indian businessman Sajjan Jindal”. Zubair said that Sharif did not need the support of Indians as he already has the support of Pakistanis.

‘Dangerous game’

In an interview last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Nawaz Sharif was “playing a dangerous game” by hurling allegations against Pakistan’s military and judiciary, adding that he was sure that Nawaz has support from India.

Opposition alliance and fiery speech

On September 20, the country’s major opposition parties launched an anti-government drive under the banner of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). At the multiparty forum, Pakistan’s deposed premier Nawaz Sharif alleged that there was “a state above the state in the country” and that the opposition’s struggle was not against PM Imran Khan but those who brought him into power. The speech was termed “anti-state” by the government.