LAHORE: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan cautioned the superior judiciary that Pakistan was passing through a defining moment and only free and fair elections could steer the country out of economic quagmire.
“I want to say judges that this is a defining moment. Judiciary has been pressurized by the corrupt political mafias,” he said and recalled the attack on former Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah by the PML-N workers. Nawaz Sharif never let the judiciary act honestly and independently, he said.
He also mentioned the audio recording of Saif-ur-Rehman with a former judge of Lahore High Court for maximum sentence against the PPP leadership. “Maryam Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif are also using harsh language against judges today,” he added.
The PTI chief said he had sacrificed two provincial governments to save the country from further deterioration and bring in political stability in the country. He lauded his party’s leadership in Peshawar for carrying out Jail Bharo Tehreek successfully on Thursday, saying the people had turned out in such a great number that has been unprecedented in the history of Sub-Continent.
Imran accuses govt of destroying economy
He said the objective of this movement was to lodge a peaceful protest against the dirty tricks played to oust the PTI government and maltreatment to its party workers. He recalled torture inflicted on Azam Swati, Shehbaz Gill, Sheikh Rashid and social media activists. He said the constitution guarantees dignity of a person but police had tortured naked PTI leaders.
He said the only crime of PTI workers was that they had exposed former army chief General Bajwa for extending NRO to the PDM leadership. He said he himself has been booked in 70 cases.
He also criticized the Chief Election Commissioner and alleged that he was carrying out a campaign against the PTI. He said the ECP has issued his arrest warrants while accepting bail of others in foreign funding case, which is actually a prohibited funding case and it would be dismissed as and when taken up by the higher courts.
The second reason of voluntary surrender movement is to lodge protest against inflation while the prime minister is telling the people that they would have to sacrifice more after the deal with IMF gets through. He criticized the ruling elite for settling down their Rs1100 billion corruption cases.
Imran Khan appreciated ChPervaizElahi and his son for supporting the PTI despite a pressure from the establishment. “I have honouredChPervaizElahi by offering him the office of party president,” he added.
He also criticized the caretaker setup in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and pointed out that it could not be extended beyond 90 days. “We provided names of 23 officials to the ECP with a request of not appointing them in Punjab.
But the ECP did the same and appointed all those in Punjab to push us against the wall.” In Jampur by-elections, he said, district administration is being used against the PTI candidate MohsinLeghari. In KP, he added, MaulanaFazlurRehman was calling shots and stressed that both the ECP and caretaker setups are taking steps against the PTI while Maryam Nawaz is enjoying protocol.
He dubbed her as ‘MalkaTarannum’ and ‘Farah Deeba’, saying that she was criticizing judiciary when the case of elections within 90 days in Punjab and KP is sub-judice. “How can such a language be allowed against the judiciary?”
The only purpose is to escape from elections therefore the PDM was exerting pressure on the judiciary. “They don’t want elections in 90 days,” he said, adding there was no such facility available under Article 244 of the Constitution.
“They are attacking the judiciary to blackmail it simply to avoid a verdict in favour of elections within 90 days.” He said the poverty-stricken public could not sustain under the prevailing inflationary pressure. In Sri Lanka, he said, the angry public had taken to streets while putting the PM house on fire. He said the people of Pakistan would treat the PTI rulers in the same fashion in the absence of PTI on ground.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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