Daily Times

Imran Khan, the former prime minister and chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has warned that foreign investors may be getting a troubling message after the Pakistani government’s decision to not accept the Supreme Court’s decision in the Punjab polls delay case.

Khan took to Twitter to express his concerns over the situation, warning that investors may lack confidence in a country’s judicial system if the government disregards court orders. He said, “Investors need security of contracts & that means faith in judicial system. What confidence can they have when govt itself casting aside SC orders? This happens in a banana republic.”

The PTI chief also claimed that the sedition cases filed against him and the imprisonment of senior party leader Ali Amin Gandapur are attempts to undermine their party’s ability to contest elections. He alleged that this was part of a “London Plan” in which Nawaz Sharif was given assurances that PTI would be crushed before elections through fake cases and imprisonment of its leadership.

He wrote, “What msg is being sent to foreign investors when govt itself is not accepting SC decisions? Investors need security of contracts & that means faith in judicial system. What confidence can they have when govt itself casting aside SC orders? This happens in a banana republic.”

Khan claimed that the sedition cases against him and his party’s senior leader, Ali Amin Gandapur, are part of a larger plan to undermine their ability to contest in upcoming elections. He alleges that the plan, known as the “London Plan,” involves fake cases and imprisonment of PTI leadership.

“Sedition cases against me – this is 144th case against me- and our senior leader Ali Amin Gandapur along with his imprisonment, are simply attempts to undermine our Party’s ability to fight elections. This is all part of London Plan in which Nawaz Sharif was given assurances that PTI would be crushed before elections through fake cases & imprisonment of its leadership,” the PTI chairman said.

Imran Khan has been pushing for assembly elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces as part of a campaign to force an early general election that he has waged since being forced from office a year ago after losing a vote of confidence.

However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has rejected Imran Khan’s call for an early general election and his government had backed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) delay in the votes in the two provinces to Oct 8.

The commission cited a lack of resources and the government agreed, saying it was not possible to organise the provincial elections while the country was struggling with an economic crisis and with a general election due around early October anyway.