Lawyers call countrywide strike tomorrow to press PM’s resignation

LAHORE: Members of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) have called for a countrywide strike on Wednesday, July 19, to seek the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, in light of the damning report of the Panama case Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

Addressing a press conference with Punjab Bar Council office bearers, PBC Vice Chairman Ahsan Bhoon urged the disqualification of those nominated in the high-profile Panama Papers case and expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will take the case to its logical conclusion.

The members called for the resignation of Nawaz, Shehbaz, Dar and their “accomplices” in light of the JIT’s findings and demanded “punitive action against them under the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws and their prosecution for perjury”.

The members also assured support of the legal fraternity to the Supreme Court and said they “will not hesitate to foil any attempt on the part of the ruling party to influence and undermine the dignity and prestige of the apex court”.

Bhoon also blamed Dar for paralysing the country’s economy during his tenure as the finance minister and urged punitive action against “all those who submitted fake documents” in the apex court.