ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, the founding chairman of PTI, has connected the possibility of dialogue with the return of his party’s “stolen mandate” and the release of “innocent imprisoned workers”.
In a message from Adiala Jail, Mr. Khan urged the judges overseeing his and his wife’s cases to expedite their rulings instead of unnecessarily delaying them.
Reiterating his stance, Mr. Khan emphasized that talks could only commence once their alleged stolen mandate was returned and imprisoned workers were set free, as reported by the PTI’s media department on Friday.
Mr. Khan emphasized that negotiations should occur with adversaries, indicating that talks should be held with those currently opposing PTI the most, seemingly alluding to the military establishment.
He expressed that the cases against him, including the Al-Qadir Trust, Iddat, or cipher case, were “fabricated, false, and baseless”.
In response to recent comments by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa asserting no pressure on him, Mr. Khan retorted, “Pressure is only faced by those who refuse to do wrong, while you have become a B-team against PTI.”
Mr. Khan reminded Justice Isa about the PTI’s electoral symbol of the bat being revoked and the lack of a level playing field, besides alleged violations of basic human rights during the May 9 incidents.
He noted that PTI’s petition regarding the May 9 riots had been pending since May 25, 2023, and was yet to be scheduled for a hearing.
The PTI founder criticized the delay in fixing the party’s petitions against alleged vote rigging in the Feb 8 general elections and the issue of PTI women’s reserved seats.
He lamented that the Supreme Court’s decisions were reviving the doctrine of necessity, leading to decisions made under duress and intimidation, ultimately damaging the country’s judicial system.
Referring to the letter by six judges of the Islamabad High Court, Mr. Khan stated, “It is high time for the judges of the top court to stand firmly against pressure and coercion and refuse to give incorrect decisions.”
He urged the nation to seize this historic opportunity to stand up against oppression, cautioning that nations failing to do so would remain enslaved.
Mr. Khan highlighted the anomaly of framing three cases over one crime, citing the Toshakhana case as an example, and expressed concern over the potential fabrication of a fourth case, violating the Constitution and law.
He mentioned a letter he wrote to the Telegraph, expressing concerns over his and his wife’s safety, especially regarding her denial of medical treatment for the past three months.
