RAWALPINDI — Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar, husband of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, has demanded the resignations of Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and senior lawyer Ahsan Bhoon amid allegations concerning a law degree, escalating an internal dispute that now threatens to spill into the courts.
Ultimatum Issued at Rawalpindi Lawyers’ Event
Addressing an event organised by the PML-N Lawyers Forum at the Rawalpindi District Courts, Safdar said he had messaged the law minister to question why a person whose degree was allegedly fake had been permitted to contest the Supreme Court Bar elections.
Safdar said his side was willing to withdraw its candidate conditionally, but insisted the degree must first be presented. He added that they would withdraw their candidate and offer an apology if that condition was met.
He insisted that Bhoon must resign and called on Tarar to step down as well, saying they would not allow what he described as the “Hafizabad school of thought” to continue.
Warning of Legal Challenge After November 1
Safdar said that whenever Bhoon appeared in court, 100 lawyers would also appear with their degrees. He said they would approach every court and demand that Bhoon’s degree be examined, adding that they would not bow before clerks.
Calling on lawyers to join what he described as a struggle against injustice, Safdar said a movement against Bhoon would begin after November 1. He reiterated that the lawyers would submit their own degrees to the courts and ask judges to seek Bhoon’s degree as well.
Criticism of Courts and Judges
He also criticised the country’s courts and judges, claiming that they had weakened Pakistan. Referring to billions of dollars allegedly transferred to the United States and Europe through the “Dun Base” issue, he questioned how Sajid Tarar had become a billionaire while living in the United States.
Safdar said he had been jailed so many times that it seemed as though prison had come to him as part of his dowry. He stressed that every Pakistani was duty-bound to uphold the law and Constitution.
Comments on Judiciary and Constitutional Amendments
Referring to former Supreme Court judge Bhagwan Das, Safdar said there had been a time when people were satisfied with him. He maintained that constitutional amendments could be made by democratic institutions with a two-thirds majority.
He said further sacrifices would be required for the country and the Constitution. Safdar also said they had demanded the inclusion of a religious scholar in the process for selecting judges, expressing concern that Ahmadis might become judges in the country’s courts.
Safdar further recalled being told that Maryam Nawaz had said money was used in the courts. He said that, as chief minister and a potential future prime minister, she was entitled to question such matters.
Petrol Pump Worker Case Cited
He cited the case of a young petrol pump employee earning Rs25,000 a month, saying the chief minister had taken notice after the worker was slapped. Safdar described the incident as a slap in the face of the country’s 100 million people and said Maryam Nawaz had secured justice for the employee.
He questioned whether wealthy newcomers, alleged land-grabbers or owners of V8 vehicles should be allowed to slap a worker earning just Rs25,000 a month.
