Live from the courtroom: Fiery judges question Attorney General's loyalties

ISLAMABAD: Fiery judges put the country’s top law officer on his heels on Wednesday to decide on giving a declaration into the Panama leaks case.  It was a perhaps the only question everybody was asking in Courtroom no 2.

It happened when a five-member bench questioned the role of National Accountability Bureau's chairperson for not probing those named in the Panama Papers, and not to file appeal into Hudaibiya Paper Mills case in particular.

“The insurance policy [of the NAB chief] has put [the card of] Makhdoom Ali Khan’s client [ the prime minister] into the shredder,” remarked Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh.

The day started with judges’ curiosity over the decision of the principal law officer of the country – whether he was supporting the Sharif family or assisting the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The judges time and again asked Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali to guide them how the SC can deal with the plethora of allegations levelled by the petitioners. "How should deal with these allegations?" Justice Azmat asked.  

On Tuesday, all the five judges grilled both the chairpersons of NAB and Federal Board of Revenue who according to judges showed apathy in probing the Panama leaks case.  

The same situation continued on Wednesday. At one point defence counsels Makhdoom Ali Khan and Salman Akram Raja were exchanging notes as they were probably not pleased with Ashtar Ausaf’s arguments.

The tension could be felt in the courtroom before the tea break when everyone was trying to grab a seat. MNA Talal Chaudhry of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was repeatedly being told two female workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to leave his vacate his seat for them. They did not want to stand during the proceeding as they were being pushed against the wall by the crowd in the room.  

Meanwhile, during the speeches, judges dropped hints on the declaration being given soon. Then a moment came when Salman Akram Raja, counsel for Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, took to the rostrum and started reading some points mentioned in the judgment of Asghar Khan’s case.

However, the court was apparently not in the mood to let the attorney general prolong his arguments. Ashtar Ausaf spoke for four and half hours during which he also mentioned some valid points. He told the court what the appropriate forum was for making a declaration under Article 62-f (qualifications for membership of Parliament), and while making such a declaration, would the provisions of Article 10 ( safeguards as to arrest) be attracted.

The attorney general spoke amid murmurs of PTI’s top leadership who were saying Ashtar Ausaf has become a party in this case. Justice Asif Khosa asked the attorney general to proceed the case by only assisting the court and not becoming a party.

It was then that PTI Chairperson was found whispering in someone's ears, saying, "FBR, NAB and now the attorney general are trying to save their king [the prime minister." As Ashtar Ausaf concluded his arguments, Naeem Bokhari, counsel for PTI, started his arguments amid high hopes.

But Bokhari was interrupted by Justice Azmat, who said the former was shifting from his earlier stance. Bokhari was trying to convince the judges that the London flats were originally owned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He also requested the court to not believe the Qatri letter.

As the clock struck 1pm everybody left the court. However, the conclusion also had drama involved as a journalist was caught by Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rehman, who she said was shooting a controversial video. But the issue was over till this report was filed. Bokhari will conclude his argument today (Thursday). Sheikh Rashid of Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders will also present their final arguments.