Imran Khan says govt pressuring judges to cover up rigging in Feb 8 elections

Former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan said on Wednesday that these days, judges received written verdicts, and all that they had to do was to read them out, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

In an informal chat with journalists at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, the former prime minister said the government was bent upon destroying the judiciary by pressurizing judges of the high courts as well as of the Supreme Court. “The government wants these judges to be its subservient.”

He said the reason for that was those in the corridors of power wanted to cover up the rigging they did in the February 8 general elections. “The entire world called these elections a ‘fraud’,” he said, and added, “Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa and the chief election commissioner (CEC) are hands in gloves with each other to deny the PTI space in the country’s politics. The CEC knows that he deserved trial under Article 6 of the constitution.”

Imran said not once did the CJP show any concern about the treatment that was meted out to the PTI workers, especially females, in jails. “This is despite the fact that it is his job to protect the basic human rights. As a matter of fact, he is one of the characters of the entire plot, while the third umpire is captain of the side.”

The PTI founder said that Justice Isa did not take any action when the Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges brought to his notice they were being harassed.

He asked the government to show the footage to substantiate its claim that those who vandalized and torched government and army installations on May 9 were none other but the PTI workers. “What they want is not to allow the PTI to make a comeback in politics,” the former prime minister said, adding, “That’s why, the government wants to make sure the party is not allowed to hold public gatherings.”

Everybody knew, he went on to say, that during summer, a public gathering could not be wound up at 6 in the evening. “All this is being done according to a plan,” Imran alleged.

The PTI founder said what had been happening in the Supreme Court (SC) since yesterday was not hidden from anybody. “All this is being done to give an extension to the ‘gang of three’,” he said, adding, “The gang has held the entire country hostage.”

Imran threatened the government with a protest in case the PTI was not allowed to hold a rally in Rawalpindi.

Announcing his complete support for a senior SC judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, he demanded the issuance of the notification for his appointment as the chief justice of Pakistan. 

He was of the view that what the people of East Pakistan wanted were their rights, not independence from West Pakistan. “But the use of force made them separatists.”

The former prime minister said that the purpose of the creation of a Constitutional Court was to render the CJP powerless and install Justice Isa as its head.

Govt trying to amend Article 63-A: Zartaj Gul

PTI MNA Zartaj Gul has said that around 48 first information reports (FIRs) are already registered against her in different police stations.

Talking to newsmen outside Judicial Complex in Islamabad on Wednesday, Zartaj Gul said that incumbent government is functioning as a ‘mafia’. They are adopting every measure to take their political opponents to courts and jails. She was she expected more FIRs against her taking the total to 50.

Zartaj Gul said that PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are imprisoned in fake cases filed against them.

She further said that current government focusing on to file more fake cases against their political opponents. She said that despite long imprisonment platelets of PTI founder is not decreasing and he did not travel abroad after filling Rs150 stamp paper.

Zartaj Gul said that people of Pakistan love PTI founder Imran Khan this is the reason that thousands of people gathered in Lahore only on one day notice.

She said that PTI decided to hold public gathering in Rawalpindi as the current government trying to attack the constitution of the country.

She said that incumbent government is trying to amend Article 63-A of the constitution which will pave the way for trial of civilians in military courts.

She advised the establishment to hold talks with PTI founder as per the constitution of Pakistan. Their move will bring stability in the country.

Reporter: Irshad Qureshi