Islamabad: Pakistan’s jailed ex-premier Imran Khan on Thursday urged Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa to take cognizance of the alleged political victimisation of his party workers, including their abductions and disappearances and sought the formation of a commission to probe all issues faced his party ahead of elections.
In a seven-page letter to Chief Justice Isa, Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party pleaded with him to assert Article 184 (3) of the Pakistani Constitution that safeguards the right to liberty, to associate, assemble, and speak’ on account of their political affiliation.
The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician also asked for the formation of a commission to probe the disappearances of
ournalists and political workers as the country goes to polls on February 8.
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. It is requested to take cognizance of such issues against PTI, the letter reads. He said that the government’s “power to prosecute and arrest is being used in a blatant attempt to engineer and skew the political landscape of the country”.
Khan also stated in his letter that all political parties, along with the PTI, should be allowed “coverage without any restriction or discrimination”.
The country’s electronic media watchdog, the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority, has banned Khan’s speeches and live broadcasts.
The incarcerated former Prime Minister also highlighted that a large number of women members of his party arrested after the May 9 violence have been imprisoned even after being granted bail in the case against them.
He noted that the treatment meted out to women was a “tragic indictment of law enforcement” as he highlighted the administration in Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad for mistreating the women held in jails.
Talking about the crackdown on the party, he said that the PTI workers were “being targeted through the registration of multiple and successive criminal cases to ensure continued imprisonment”. Khan urged Chief Justice Isa to ensure a fair trial of every arrested worker and stop further arrests, which he said was important to hold the upcoming election.