Nawaz's ouster makes headlines worldwide
Nawaz Sharif had been disqualified as the PM by the Supreme Court on Friday morning. Photo:Bitnote
(Web Desk) – With the Supreme Court disqualifying Nawaz Sharif as the Prime Minister of Pakistan after a high profile court case surrounding the Panama Papers controversy, the news that sent shockwaves across the country was flashed across websites of international media houses on Friday morning.
Rumours regarding the outcome of the case had already been circulating since Thursday evening after it was announced that the much anticipated decision would be announced by the top court on Friday. While local media had been running marathon transmissions over the issue since Chaudhry Nisar’s explosive presser followed by the SC’s announcement on Thursday, international media also picked up on the news that seems to be one of the few major assaults that have been inflicted in the aftermath of the Panama leaks.
Sharif is not the first Prime Minister to have resigned from the seat over the Panama Papers controversy. Iceland’s Prime Minister was forced to resign in April last year after the Panama leaks surfaced.
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and over 100 other media partners around the world worked together to investigate leaked documents from the Panama-headquartered law firm that sells offshore companies.
In its story, New York Times focused on the series of troubles Nawaz Sharif faced during his time, with the stubborn scandal over the London real estate holdings to relations with the military that led him to fire his information minister and two top aides to placate the army.
“With the verdict and his removal from office throws his political succession plans into disarray. His daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who was being groomed as his political heir, was also implicated in the case,” it reported.
The news was also widely reported on Indian media, including The Hindu, Times of India and The Hindustan Times. The Indian Express, that has been part of the ICIJ that leaked the documents from the law firm Mossack Fonseca, wrote on the investigative news process of the Panama Papers leak that resulted in the ouster of Nawaz Sharif on Friday.
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The Guardian has reported on the fate of the Sharif’s family, where three of his children who were also investigated into the Panama leaks. The report cites that the Supreme Court’s ruling has been a big win for the opposition party PTI leader Imran Khan who has been pressurizing and was calling for the dismissal of Sharif since the Panama scandal.
According to a BBC report, many believe that Supreme Court of Pakistan has started a crack down on corruption, which in the event of the circumstances could be good for the democracy. But it also goes on to add that some people see this as a continuing pattern of political manipulation through which the country’s powerful military establishment has sought to control civilian decision-making.
“Many believe that while across-the-board action against corruption may remain a pipe dream, this verdict will open the gates of power for a new set of politicians - as has often happened in the past.”
A previous report by BBC over the same issue said that some analysts suggested that the Prime Minister, if found guilty, could nominate a close political ally – most possibly his brother Shahbaz Sharif. It further claimed Panama Papers case scandal has threatened the chances for Maryam Nawaz to become the next candidate for the Prime Minister, who has long been tipped as her father’s successor in waiting.
CNN spoke on the upcoming general elections that are scheduled for next year, in which PLMN is expected to win despite today’s verdict. With Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification as PM, he cannot hold any position in the parliament, nor he can be involved in election campaigns or can lead his party - the PMLN. The report termed the disqualification of the Prime Minister as historic.
