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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday in a landmark judgement disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and directed to file references against him and his children. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and PM's son-in-law Capt Safdar (retd) have also been disqualified.
A five-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and including Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsen, announced the verdict.
Live updates ended
04:50
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued notification de-seating Nawaz Sharif.
04:44
The ruling party in a press conference at the Punjab House said the order does not fulfill the requirements of a fair trial.
04:00
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has announced to observe ‘Thanksgiving Day’ on Sunday at Parade ground Islamabad at 5:00PM.
PMLN stands united, more resolute & unfazed. That's also unprecedented. Alhamdolillah! pic.twitter.com/qwagGuDwzJ
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) July 28, 2017
02:36
Complete text of Supreme Court
01:05
Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb: We are saddened on the verdict. PML-N is Pakistan’s largest political party and whenever he is removed from political scene, this nation has brought him back with more strength. Today too, there is no charge of misuse of public money. Nawaz Sharif rules people's heart and he does not need premier ship. Nawaz Sharif is a reality and he cannot be hold back from serving the nation.
Qurbani sy Phelay Qurbani hogaye
— Sheikh Rashid Ahmad (@ShkhRasheed) July 28, 2017
12:30
Attorney General: PM’s ‘Aqama’ or work permit became the reason for his disqualification.
12:25
Shah Mehmood Qureshi: Today is a big day and we congratulate the nation for being steadfast during the past year. Imran Khan has fought for the last 21 years.
A three-member special implementation bench on the Panama verdict, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and comprising Justice Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsen on July 21, had reserved the judgment with the ruling to look into the matter of disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, saying that fundamental rights of both the petitioners and respondents would be fully protected.
Panama Papers case: Important stories
12:10
The Supreme Court has disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and refers Sharif family corruption cases to accountability court with a 5-0 verdict.
11:58
Judges are in courtroom
11:15
Court Room No 1 where the 5-member bench will announce the verdict is filled to the capacity.
11:11
NAB to file appeal in Hudaibiya Paper Mills case in a few days.
10:50
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto is chairing an important consultative meeting at the Bilawal House Karachi.
10:48
PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi: Every Pakistani today is looking towards the Supreme Court. For a strong democracy we need to have a transparent electoral system.
10:41
As reported earlier, a high-level meeting is underway at the PM House where the top leadership of PML-N is discussing the post-verdict strategy. Interior Minister Ch Nisar and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif are also present.
10:34
There has been no progress on Hussain Nawaz picture leak issue, Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali told media. 'No one has shared details with me in this regard,' he said.
2 years of resistance are heavier than 3 decades of money laundering and 4 decades of status quo #PanamaVerdict
— Babar Awan (@BabarAwanPK) July 28, 2017
10:00
Upon arrival at the court, Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said they expect the court to give a verdict based on law, adding that the prime minister had himself wrote letter to the SC asking to probe the matter.
09:45
JI Chief Siraj-ul-Haq was hopeful of a favourable verdict. He was talking to media outside the SC. Time has come for the accountability of mafia, he added.
09:30
Before the SC verdict, the prime minister will hold a meeting at the PM House with his close aides and advisers. For the first time a PML-N minister confirmed that the party did discussed post-verdict scenario in case Nawaz Sharif is disqualified.
عمران خان ذاتی اقتدار کے لیے سازش کا حصہ بنے- بہت سے سیاسی اور غیر سیاسی طاقتور لوگ نفرت انتقام اور تعصب میں اس سازش کا ایندھن بنے
— Khawaja Saad Rafique (@KhSaad_Rafique) July 28, 2017
پانامہ پیپرز عالمی طاقتوں کی سازش ھے- نشانہ پیوٹن نواز شریف اور کیمرون تھے
— Khawaja Saad Rafique (@KhSaad_Rafique) July 28, 2017
09:15
Talking to Geo News Awami Muslim League chief Sh Rashid said 40 percent of verdict has already been out, two judges out of five-member bench have disqualified the PM on April 20.
Security around the SC building.
09:00
Speaking outside the court PTI leader Babar Awan termed the judgement day as the start of a new era in the country's political history.
08:58
According to sources, PTI Chief Imran Khan is not gong to the court. However, Sh Rashid and Jamat-e-Islami chief will attend the proceedings.
08:30
All the major opposition parties including the petitioners will go to the apex court amid strict security measures around the court.
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On April 20, the five-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, had announced its judgment under which .
In a 3-2 split decision, the majority judges determined that the available evidence was insufficient to disqualify the prime minister outright and directed for the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the case and collect evidence, if any, showing that Nawaz Sharif or any of his dependents or benamidar owns, possesses or acquired assets or any interest therein disproportionate to their known means of income.
Two judges -- Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa and Justice Gulzar Ahmed -- had recommended disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The court had directed Nawaz Sharif, his sons, Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz, respondents No 1, 7 and 8 to appear and associate themselves with the JIT as and when required.
CCTV image of Hussain Nawaz appearing before the JIT was leaked on the social media.
Later on, a six-member JIT was formed by the implementation bench on Panama verdict which included Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Additional Director General Wajid Zia, Military Intelligence’s Brigadier Kamran Khurshid, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Director Irfan Naeem Mangi, State Bank of Pakistan’s Amer Aziz, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Executive Director Bilal Rasool and Inter-Services Intelligence’s Brigadier Muhammad Nauman Saeed.
The JIT members during the seven-week period interrogated eight members of Sharif family including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif, sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, daughter Maryam Nawaz, son-in-law Captain Safdar, cousin Tariq Shafi, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Chairman NAB etc and submitted its report on July 10.
In its report, the JIT on July 10 found the family of living beyond means, concealment of facts and being beneficial owners of multiple offshore companies and recommended initiation of reference against the PM and members of the ruling family in the NAB.
The report highlighted the failure of the Sharif family to provide a money trail for its London apartments and claimed the prime minister and his children own assets beyond their known sources of income.
