Daily Times

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday said the reason behind the PML-N attack on the judiciary is to avoid elections.

“The ruling party is exerting pressure on the judiciary so that courts buckle under pressure and somehow withdraw from holding elections as per the Constitution,” the former prime minister told a video conference. “I will tell the judges that this is a decisive phase in the history of Pakistan,” he said, adding the PML-N has a history of attacking the judiciary.

Imran Khan called upon the judiciary to ensure that the Constitution is upheld and pave the way for elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He reminded the judiciary that the constitution is clear about holding elections within 90 days following the dissolution of the assembly. He urged the judiciary to resist pressure from both establishment and “Sharif and Zardari mafia”. “This is a defining moment in the country’s history. Either the neutrals pressurise judiciary or these two mafia families Sharif and Zardari,” he said.

According to Imran, the only way to lift the country out of its current crisis is to hold elections. He also criticised the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and caretakers, claiming that they were taking orders from PML-N leaders and were against the PTI. He alleged that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was controlling the caretaker setup in Punjab.

Imran also hailed his party’s “Jail Bharo Tehreek” (fill prison movement) and said that it shows that the PTI workers are not afraid of jails. He lamented that those who voluntarily presented themselves for arrests are being treated like criminals and being moved to different prisons in Punjab.

The PTI chief criticised PM Shehbaz’s statement that inflation would rise further due to an IMF deal, asking if the PM had any shame and if he had ever asked the public about how they are making ends meet.

Imran said that if the PTI were not present in the country, the public would resort to violence, like protesters who ransacked the presidential palace in Sri Lanka due to an economic crisis. He maintained that the “court arrest” movement was against the economic meltdown and the incumbent government’s attempts to delay polls.

He alleged the party’s detained leaders and workers were being treated like terrorists. “They are trying to prove that people will be afraid of these tactics, but we will not back down at all,” he stressed.

The PTI chief said cases of terrorism were filed against party people, they were picked up and stripped even though it is clear in the Constitution that no one’s honor could be violated.

Imran claimed efforts were being made to send him to jail or disqualify him, while PTI people were being pressurized. He said PML-Q leaders were also pressurized to part ways with the PTI and support PML-N to form a government. “All efforts were made to avoid dissolution of assemblies so that elections would not have to be held. But I applaud Parvez Elahi and Moonis Elahi for sticking by despite all kinds of pressure,” Imran commented. He further said former chief minister Elahi was being made the party president.