Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan wrote to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Thursday, seeking affirmative action against the political victimization of his party, and abductions, and disappearances of its workers.
In a seven-page document, Imran emphasized the need to assert Article 184(3) of the Constitution of Pakistan, which safeguards the ‘right to liberty, to associate, assemble, and speak’ on account of their political affiliation.
The PTI chief urged in his letter that a commission be established to further investigate the disappearances of PTI journalists and political workers.
“These disappearances or abductions, quite apart from the arbitrary arrests, have spread fear through society and are a grotesque affront to the claim that Pakistan is a country ruled by a constitution and a set of laws,” the letter noted.
“Today, the power to prosecute and arrest is being used in a blatant attempt to engineer and skew the political landscape of the country,” Imran wrote.
Adding more, he said that all political parties, along with the PTI, should be allowed “coverage without any restriction or discrimination”. It is noteworthy to mention that the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has banned the former prime minister’s speeches and live broadcasts.
In a six-page document, PEMRA noted that, “Therefore, the competent authority, i.e., Chairman PEMRA, hereby prohibits the broadcast or rebroadcast of the speech(s) or press talks (recorded or live) of Mr Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect.”
Referring to the May 9 riots, Imran argued that a large number of women arrested in Lahore were a “tragic indictment of law enforcement”. He said that these women were imprisoned for six months, with further re-arrests when bail was already granted in one case, The PTI chief particularly highlighted Punjab, Khyber-Paktunkhwa, and Islamabad authorities for their ‘maltreatment’. His letter further maintained that any worker affiliated with the PTI is “being targeted through the registration of multiple and successive criminal cases so as to ensure continued imprisonment”. Imran said party workers were being re-arrested, as he demanded the conduct of a fair trial against them. “…the apex court cannot be unaware of the phenomena of the disappearances of individuals affiliated with the PTI or those connected with the government led by PTI between august 2018 and April 2022. These persons have re appeared and made press conferences that are clearly tutored”. “Without the intervention of the apex court in halting the widespread arrests and abductions that are presently underway, there is no possibility of a fair general election being conducted on February 8, 2024, Imran concluded.
