LAHORE (Agencies): Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PIT) Chairman Imran Khan has called on Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, saying that the nation was looking at him for justice in three ‘landmark’ cases.
Addressing the Long March participants via video link, the former premier called on CJP Umar Ata Bandial to hear three ‘landmark’ cases: senior journalist Arshad Sharif’s murder; Senator Azam Swati’s custodial torture; and the Wazirabad FIR issue. Giving details of the cases, Imran Khan noted that senior journalist Arshad Sharif was threatened and fake cases were registered against him. “He [Sharif] was forced to leave the country and was later killed in Kenya,” he added.
“Senator Azam Swati’s case is also a landmark one. He was taken from home on a tweet and was beaten in front of his family,” the former premier said, adding that the Senator was later stripped naked and tortured. Imran Khan noted that being a citizen of Pakistan it was his constitutional right to register a first information report (FIR). “However, despite being the former prime minister, I could not register FIR after an assassination attempt,” he added.
“CJP Bandial, the nation was looking towards you because we don’t have hope from anywhere else,” he said, adding that it was high time the courts became assertive and stood with the people of Pakistan. The PTI chief also criticised the ruling coalition, saying that the incumbent government has murdered Pakistan’s economy in the last seven months. “When the PTI govt was ousted in April, the risk of Pakistan taking loans from abroad was 5 percent. Today newspapers reported that risk has increased to 64.5pc,” he noted.
“Sharif and Zardari have increased our loans by four times. If we default, the rupee will depreciate further because dollars won’t come in and people won’t invest,” the former prime minister added. He again called for fresh elections, saying that the only solution to the economic crisis in the country was free and fair elections. “The risk Pakistan has today it shows where we are heading, we wouldn’t be getting investment or loans or exports,” he said.
Imran Khan has accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of working on an agenda against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). “Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja passed decisions against us eight times and all of them were rejected by the judiciary,” he pointed out. The former premier lamented that the ECP only heard PTI’s foreign funding case and an investigation was conducted in a biased manner.
PTI long march reaches Chiniot as massive crowed welcome it: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Haqeeqi Azadi March has reached Chiniot in northern Punjab where a large number of people have gathered to welcome it. PTI leaders including Asad Umar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and others are leading the convoy in Imran Khan’s absence.
Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner (DC) of Jhelum has requested the Punjab administration for change in route of PTI rolling Haqeeqi Azadi March to prevent possible clashes. Apart from it, the district administration of Chiniot has decided to close schools at 11am as the convoys of marchers will reach there today.
Jhelum DC has written a letter to the Punjab administration for alteration in the course of the long march. The letter states that the houses of three political opponents of PTI were located on the route which could potentially trigger clashes between the political workers. The copies of the letter have been forwarded to the provincial chief secretary and Punjab Police inspector general (IG). After crossing Mandi Bahauddin and Jaranwala the other day, the long march en route to Islamabad will reach Chiniot.
