- The PTI Chief says they do not want elections rather they want chaos and anarchy in the country.
Lahore: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that the government did legislation to put pressure on the judiciary.
“They don’t want elections rather they want chaos and anarchy in the country,” said the PTI Chief Imran Khan while addressing the workers and supporters through a video message.
Imran Khan called on his lawyers to unite in order to prevent any attempts to divide the judiciary.
The PTI Chairman asked the legal fraternity to take part in a convention being organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
“The efforts are underway to divide the judiciary,” said Imran Khan in a video message on Wednesday.
The PTI Chief’s reaction came a day after the federal cabinet approval a bill to curtail the suo motu powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan regarding different issues including formation of the benches of the top court. The bill says that there will be a committee comprising senior most judges of the top court which will decide the administrative matters including formation of the benches.
Imran Khan said that it was the time to choose the right path.
The former prime minister also expressed serious concerns the alleged manhandling of Barrister Hassaan Niazi by the government, saying that if it could happen to him, it could happen to anyone.
Khan also criticised the government for increasing hatred among the people by threatening those who resisted their wrongdoings. He stressed that fair and free elections were the only solution to the country’s crisis. The PTI leader further alleged that social media activists were being abducted from their homes and that the relatives of political activists were being taken into custody when police failed to capture political workers. He emphasised that social media users work independently and cannot be controlled.
Besides, Khan stated that the government had failed to secure any relaxation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to receive the next tranche of loan. He warned that if the government managed to sign an IMF agreement on tough conditions, a new wave of inflation would hit the country.
He called on nationals to raise their voices against the government, which he claimed had failed to provide relief and resolve their issues.
General Elections:
On Tuesday, the National Assembly passed a resolution advocating for simultaneous elections for all assemblies in a free, fair, and impartial manner to achieve real political stability in the country. The resolution also stated that the Election Commission of Pakistan is a constitutional body, and any interference in its domain should be avoided.
The resolution considers the judiciary’s undue interference in political matters as a source of political instability in the country and validates the four judges’ decision in the suo-moto case while urging for its implementation.
Bill to curtail CJP’s suo motu powers:
The Supreme Court (Practice and Protection) Bill, 2023, and the Lawyers Welfare and Protection Bill, 2023, were introduced and referred to the relevant standing committee. The former proposes a bench constituted by a Committee for every cause, appeal, or matter before the Supreme Court and grants the party the right to appoint counsel of its choice for filing a review application. The latter aims to protect advocates from assaults, criminal force, intimidation, and threats while discharging their professional duties. The House will convene on Wednesday (today) at 11 a.m.
