Islamabad, July 28

“It is just a beginning,” Imran Khan, Pakistan’s Opposition leader and a petitioner in the high-profile Panama case, today said as he hailed the Supreme Court’s decision to disqualify Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.Addressing the media after the apex court’s verdict, 64-year-old Khan, one of the three petitioners in the case, thanked the judiciary of Pakistan. The chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party announced to hold a rally at Islamabad’s Parade Ground to celebrate “Youm-e-Tashakur” on Sunday.“What the Joint Investigation Team did in 60 days could not have been done even in the West,” the cricketer-turned- politician said. “With this investigation, it is quite clear that we have the capability to put a check on corruption.The Supreme Court has proven that today.” Khan observed that countries were not destroyed by earthquakes, wars or famines, but by their institutions of justice. “The Supreme Court’s decision has given hope to the people of Pakistan today,” proclaimed Khan. He said his struggle was for democracy and empowerment of the poor who suffered for petty wrongdoings while the rich went scot-free even after committing a crime. “I know Sharif’s family for the last 40 years and I do not have any personal enmity with them,” he said.Khan called the apex court’s decision “the beginning” for a new Pakistan.“Everyone will be held accountable now. This is just the beginning,” said Khan. He said now on all those responsible for plundering national wealth would be held accountable.The PTI chief lambasted Sharif’s former ministers for targeting Shaukat Khanum cancer hospital in Lahore, where 75 per cent poor patients were treated free. — PTI 

Tax evasion exposé that sealed Sharif’s fateApril 4, 2016: International Consortium of Investigative Journalism publishes the Panama Papers, exposing tax evasion by the world’s elite, including the Sharif family, through offshore accounts and shell companiesApril 5: Sharif sets up a judicial panel to probe allegations, denies chargesApril 26: Opposition rejects the judicial panel set up by the governmentNovember 1: The SC decides to pursue a case related to Nawaz SharifNovember 7: PML-N submits Qatari prince’s letter to the SC containing information about the London flatsApril 20, 2017: SC orders formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe graft charges against SharifMay 5: Apex court constitutes JITMay 22: JIT presents its first bi-weekly report to the SC in two volumesMay 24: JIT sends questionnaires to Sharif and his sons Hussain and HassanJune 13: JIT submits report to the SC blaming government institutions for ‘creating impediments in evidence collection’June 15: Sharif appears before the JIT for questioning, becoming the first sitting Pakistan Prime Minister to appear before any probe agencyJuly 10: JIT submits final report to SCJuly 21: The three-judge SC Bench hearing the case reserves decisionJuly 28: SC Bench unanimously disqualifies Sharif from holding office