Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan has said that if elections were not held on May 14, then the Constitution will be rendered ineffective, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
During an informal talk with journalists inside the Islamabad High Court on Friday, Imran Khan accompanied by Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Fawad Chaudhry said that if government did not hold polls on May 14, then the constitution will be rendered ineffective.
“If the constitution is rendered ineffective, then the might is right rule will prevail,” the PTI chairman stated. He said he always complied with the court decisions.
He enunciated: “Constitution is supreme, not the parliament.”
“We are standing by the constitution, while the PDM is negating it. There is no comparison between us and the PDM,” he asserted.
On the statement by journalist Hamid Mir regarding former army chief General ® Qamar Jeved Bajwa, Imran said, “I do know a lot more things, but it’s a matter of national security. I do not want that it becomes an international news, thus hurting Pakistan. ”
He said that Gen ® Bajwa imposed a coterie of looters on the nation. He alleged that they were brought to power with the help of establishment in 2013.
He rued that it took four years to open just four constituencies as demanded by his party. And when these constituencies were opened on the court order, the rigging was proved, he added.
On PTI’s talks with the government, he said that he has been asking both Qureshi and Fawad (who are members of the PTI negotiating team) that if government wanted to conduct polls immediately after dissolving assembly, then they should talk.
“If government again insists on holding elections in September or October, then there is no need to hold talks. Now the ball is in the government’s court. If it wants to hold simultaneous polls, then let it do so,” Imran added.
He was of the view that talks could be successful if the assembly is dissolved immediately.
He alleged that Dirty Harry again tried to assassinate him. If I talk about Dirty Harry, new cases are popped up against me, he added.
IHC grants PTI chief interim bail till May 3
The Islamabad High Court has granted interim bail to former premier and PTI Chief Imran Khan till May 3 in a mutiny case registered against him at Ramna police station in the federal capital.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq granted bail to Imran Khan against the surety bonds of Rs100,000.
Earlier, Imran submitted a petition seeking protective bail in the mutiny case through his counsel. He pleaded the court to fix the hearing for today.
However, the registrar office raised some objections to the petition. The PTI lawyers, later, removed the objections.
At the outset of court proceedings, Advocate General Jehangir Jadoon said that it was strange that Imran’s petition gets fixed for hearing as soon as it lands in the court.
The AG said that the powerful should be brought under the law as Imran himself used to say. He wished that the court should also treat a layman, say Allah Ditta, same as Imran.
The chief justice remarked that the court only today has fixed petitions of two Allah Dittas.
The CJ then asked the AG, “Has it ever happened that you represent Allah Ditta and the court did not hear his case”.
Chief Justice Farooq then remarked that Imran is also a citizen who has got rights.
Arrival at IHC
Imran Khan arrived in Islamabad on Friday to attend hearing in the high courtl. Imran Khan reached inside the courtroom but not without a drama as the security officials at IHC gates did not allow his vehicle to enter the court premises.
He had to walk on foot to the courtroom as his guards shielded him from every side.
The PTI chief earlier in the morning left for Islamabad from his Lahore residence to appear before the Islamabad High Court.
The federal capital administration deployed more than 2,000 security personnel including four SPs, 11 ASPs, 420 FC and 300 Rangers officials at the Islamabad High Court ahead of the PTI chairman’s arrival.
The police officials were directed not to carry any firearms while performing their duty.
The situation was monitored in the control room through safe city cameras.
Police release 23 PTI workers
The federal capital police released 23 workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf who were arrested earlier in the day while trying to enter the court during PTI Chief Imran Khan’s appearance before the Islamabad High Court.
According to police, they arrested 23 PTI workers including Imran’s nephew Sher Shah. They said that owing to security concerns, the administration banned the PTI workers’ entry to the court premises and held those who tried to force their entry.
Reporters Ehtisham Kiyani, Farzana Siddique and Rana Faran Yameen