Daily Times

The PTI has urged the public to unite beyond political divides and launch a movement to safeguard judicial independence, which it claims is vital for the security and freedom of every citizen in the country.

Speaking at a press conference at the Lahore Press Club on Tuesday, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja accused the current administration of undermining judicial independence to silence any voices that challenge the establishment. “The door of justice has been slammed in our faces,” he said, criticizing the government’s recent passage of six key bills and plans to appoint 17 new Supreme Court judges to stifle independent voices. He expressed concern that the judiciary has become subordinate to the establishment.

Raja asserted that both the Supreme Court and high courts are being filled with judges who prioritize establishment interests over public concerns. Citing the case of Advocate Intezar Hussain Panjutha, who was allegedly abducted and tortured, he warned that this reflects a growing climate of fear for all citizens.

“Rise up and bring a revolution in the country. The streets are waiting for you to stand against the theft of your rights and freedom,” Raja urged, cautioning that inaction would result in citizens being denied justice and suppressed. He expressed disappointment over the youth’s growing hopelessness and likened the current situation to uprisings in Bangladesh, Egypt, and Sri Lanka, suggesting such a movement could restore national independence.

He warned that the establishment’s influence over the judiciary is intended to send a harsh message to PTI founder Imran Khan, hinting at extreme penalties for Khan and other detained party members. He alleged government representatives are openly discussing the possibility of Khan being tried in military courts, where an army colonel would determine his fate in secret proceedings.

Raja also criticized the swift passage of a bill extending the service chiefs’ tenures from three to five years, emphasizing that this should have been a matter of open consultation with all military branches. He questioned whether this move truly served national interests or merely benefited individuals.

In response to media questions, Raja assured that PTI would utilize every available forum, including parliament and relevant committees, to advocate for the Pakistani people’s concerns.

PTI Senator Hamid Khan added that the government is covertly attacking the Constitution. “The laws passed last night are the final nail in democracy’s coffin,” he stated at a press conference at the Lahore High Court Bar Association. The former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association also appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi to expedite hearings on petitions against the 26th Amendment, which he argued has rendered parliament subservient to the ruling powers.

Senator Khan claimed that certain forces are actively dismantling the Constitution and judiciary, noting that the recent amendments are unprecedented in Pakistan’s history. He criticized the five-year term for the army chief, stating it isn’t a global standard and could eventually serve the government’s interests more than the military’s.

The senator lamented that democracy is once again under threat, as institutions are reduced to subservience. He added that the legal community rejects the 26th Amendment, with cases already filed in the Supreme Court to have it repealed, vowing to continue the fight against what he sees as the judiciary’s diminishing power.