SC’s verdict in reserved seats case has exposed current setup, claims Imran Khan

Former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan on Tuesday said that the Supreme Court’s (SC) detailed judgment in the Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) reserved seats case had laid bare the roles assigned to different individuals in the present setup, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.   

In an informal chat with journalists at the Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, he said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja and Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa were the opening players in the setup. “It has now become crystal clear that Justice Isa is a part of the London Plan. He deceived the nation,” Imran said, adding, “The top judge did not hear our petitions related to the May 9-related violence and the February 8 general elections.”

Every tactic, he further said, was being employed to reduce the number of PTI’s seats in the National and provincial assemblies. “None of our petitions is being heard. Everything now lies exposed.”

The former prime minister further said there was a third empire as well whose backing they enjoyed. “His tenure is also to be extended. In short, this is a gang,” he added.

He said it was now an open secret that the hostile forces planned to kick the PTI out of the electoral process and then eliminate the party.  

The PTI founder said some brave judges stood up against the ‘gang’. “But they were removed from their posts. The chief justice showed Justice Mazahir Naqvi and Justice Ijazul Ahsan the door.”

He went on to say that the CJP, through the Practice and Procedure Act, wanted to keep his dictatorship intact. “Through this legislation, the route to fix cases for hearing on merit was blocked.”

Imran opined that SC judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah’s on the Practice and Procedure Committee was quite right.

“Earlier the goons hired by Nawaz had stormed and vandalized the SC building,” he said, and added, “This is the second major assault on the apex court after that incident.”

The former prime minister said that the party would protest against the attack on the independence of judiciary on Thursday. “On Friday, we plan to hold another protest demonstration, while on Saturday, the PTI will hold a public gathering in Rawalpindi,” he announced.  

He threatened the government with protest if the party was not allowed to hold the event.

“Pakistan has completely turned into a police state,” the PTI founder said, adding, “No other martial law in the country has been as draconian as the present one is. PTI organized large rallies even during the late military dictator Pervez Musharraf’s era. But never ever the party was treated the way it has been treated under the present setup.”

Reporter: Irshad Qureshi