Senior journalist and television anchor Suhail Warraich has claimed that former chief justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa was the one who helped the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf convert the entire Panama Papers matter into a legal case and then ensured it ended up in the conviction of an elected prime minister. To do so, he allegedly had support from within and outside the judiciary.
Suhail Warraich was speaking on the Geo Tv program Report Card on Wednesday evening.
During the program, Warraich was asked about his views on what PTI stalwart and legal expert Hamid Khan had said about the Supreme Court being manipulated to disqualify former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
READ MORE: Decision To Disqualify Nawaz Sharif Was Taken ‘Somewhere Else’ Before Judiciary Acted: Hamid Khan
Warraich started by terming Hamid Khan as a staunch supporter of the PTI and that his character was beyond reproach.
"I have seen very few people who are so straightforward, honest and who describe things as they are," Warraich said.
He added that his dedication to the cause could be gauged from the fact that he never became a part of the government for the duration of Imran Khan's aborted governments in the centre and the two provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
"He does partake in the politics of lawyers and is a big stakeholder in it," he said, adding that during the dictatorship of former president General Pervez Musharraf, despite immense pressure, he did not abandon his democratic credentials and principles and kept guiding lawyers.
Warraich threw his weight behind Hamid Khan's statements.
"In my opinion, he has spoken the absolute truth, and what Federal Information Minister Mariyam Aurangzeb has said [in her press conference today] is also true," he asserted.
Asif Saeed Khosa and conspiracy against a PM
Warraich said that when the case was first filed, it was weak and 'frivolous' and was about to be rejected.
"When this case was first filed in the Supreme Court, it had been rejected for hearing by the chief justice for being frivolous and having no weight. However, Asif Saeed Khosa then personally gave it legal shape and then gave it to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to pursue," he said, adding that this information was disclosed to him by a senior leader of the PTI.
"The PTI leader told me that when the case was first filed, the party could not even handle it, but Justice Khosa then built it and said he would run it," Warraich said, adding that it is a matter of record how the case was run.
Warraich claimed that former Supreme Court justice Azmat Saeed and a serving judge were also a party to this conspiracy and that they were allegedly in cahoots with the establishment.
READ MORE: Avenfield Reference: NAB Decision Against Sharif Family Is ‘Incorrect’ Says IHC
"The establishment was supporting them at the time," he said, adding that a cell had been set up in a state-run security agency tasked with preparing the case.
"At least two brigadiers were nominated to be a part of the joint investigation team to probe the matter," he pointed out, adding that together they disqualified Nawaz Sharif per an elaborate plan.
"It was all a setup"
Why did Nawaz Sharif go with it?
Warraich said that he later asked former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his lawyer and even Shehbaz Sharif why they kept faith in a judiciary that, to most observers, appeared to be out to get him.
READ MORE Nawaz Sharif Should Be Allowed To Contest Election: Justice (r) Ejaz Afzal
"Nawaz Sharif said that he believed that despite the immense pressure, the judges would remain steadfast and deliver justice," Warraich said.
Warraich said he asked Nawaz's lawyer Salman Aslam Butt the same thing.
"He said that he had won on all the legal points argued. This included the Calibri Font saga, the house ownership and money trail, and all the documentation," Warraich said.
Watch the full interaction below:
Suhail Warraich was speaking on the Geo Tv program Report Card on Wednesday evening.
During the program, Warraich was asked about his views on what PTI stalwart and legal expert Hamid Khan had said about the Supreme Court being manipulated to disqualify former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
READ MORE: Decision To Disqualify Nawaz Sharif Was Taken ‘Somewhere Else’ Before Judiciary Acted: Hamid Khan
Warraich started by terming Hamid Khan as a staunch supporter of the PTI and that his character was beyond reproach.
"I have seen very few people who are so straightforward, honest and who describe things as they are," Warraich said.
He added that his dedication to the cause could be gauged from the fact that he never became a part of the government for the duration of Imran Khan's aborted governments in the centre and the two provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
"He does partake in the politics of lawyers and is a big stakeholder in it," he said, adding that during the dictatorship of former president General Pervez Musharraf, despite immense pressure, he did not abandon his democratic credentials and principles and kept guiding lawyers.
Warraich threw his weight behind Hamid Khan's statements.
"In my opinion, he has spoken the absolute truth, and what Federal Information Minister Mariyam Aurangzeb has said [in her press conference today] is also true," he asserted.
Asif Saeed Khosa and conspiracy against a PM
Warraich said that when the case was first filed, it was weak and 'frivolous' and was about to be rejected.
"When this case was first filed in the Supreme Court, it had been rejected for hearing by the chief justice for being frivolous and having no weight. However, Asif Saeed Khosa then personally gave it legal shape and then gave it to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to pursue," he said, adding that this information was disclosed to him by a senior leader of the PTI.
"The PTI leader told me that when the case was first filed, the party could not even handle it, but Justice Khosa then built it and said he would run it," Warraich said, adding that it is a matter of record how the case was run.
Warraich claimed that former Supreme Court justice Azmat Saeed and a serving judge were also a party to this conspiracy and that they were allegedly in cahoots with the establishment.
READ MORE: Avenfield Reference: NAB Decision Against Sharif Family Is ‘Incorrect’ Says IHC
"The establishment was supporting them at the time," he said, adding that a cell had been set up in a state-run security agency tasked with preparing the case.
"At least two brigadiers were nominated to be a part of the joint investigation team to probe the matter," he pointed out, adding that together they disqualified Nawaz Sharif per an elaborate plan.
"It was all a setup"
Why did Nawaz Sharif go with it?
Warraich said that he later asked former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his lawyer and even Shehbaz Sharif why they kept faith in a judiciary that, to most observers, appeared to be out to get him.
READ MORE Nawaz Sharif Should Be Allowed To Contest Election: Justice (r) Ejaz Afzal
"Nawaz Sharif said that he believed that despite the immense pressure, the judges would remain steadfast and deliver justice," Warraich said.
Warraich said he asked Nawaz's lawyer Salman Aslam Butt the same thing.
"He said that he had won on all the legal points argued. This included the Calibri Font saga, the house ownership and money trail, and all the documentation," Warraich said.
Watch the full interaction below: