The recent decision by the Punjab caretaker government to suspend the sentence of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia reference has triggered a political firestorm, with major parties, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), vehemently opposing the move.

PPP’s Punjab chapter leader, Hasan Murtaza, lashed out at the decision, referring to Sharif as ‘Ladla Plus’ and labelling the suspension as a ‘cowardly’ act.

“The caretaker government is doing everything it should not do,” the PPP leader said.

“The caretaker government is not here to give relief to criminals, but to hold elections.” He added: “It is not the task of the caretaker Punjab cabinet to approve the suspension of Nawaz Sharif’s sentence.”

He urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take notice of the partiality of the caretaker government.

Simultaneously, PTI’s legal affairs spokesperson, Barrister Gohar Khan, condemned the decision as a direct violation of the law.

He took to X (former Twitter) and said, “Provincial Government has no power whatsoever to extend any relief regarding sentence under CrPC to someone convicted by NAB Court – period.”

Provincial Government has no power whatsoever to extend any relief regarding sentence under CrPC to someone convicted by NAB Court – period.

— Barrister Gohar Khan (@BarristerGohar) October 24, 2023

In response to the criticism, Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi clarified that the government had not directly suspended Sharif’s sentence but had instead referred the case to the court of law under Section 401, leaving the final decision on bail to the judiciary.

Section 401 of the criminal procedure code says, “When any person has been sentenced to punishment of an offence, the provincial government may at any time without conditions or upon any conditions which the person sentenced accepts, suspend the execution of his sentence or remit the whole or any part of the punishment to which he has been sentenced.”