Draw a line somewhere, Imran Khan to CJP

LAHORE: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday urged the judiciary to protect the fundamental rights of party members and citizens of Pakistan, asking the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to “draw a line” somewhere. 

“People should have confidence that judiciary will protect them... what namaloom afraad (unidentified persons) and Dirty Harry are doing is in front of everyone to see,” he said during a press conference flanked by PTI leader Usman Dar and a watchman Javed Ali working in the education department.

Javed, during the presser, narrated how he was picked up by some "unidentified people" and was tortured after being taken to an unknown locality blindfolded.

“People came and picked me up and took me to some unknown place. They blindfolded me. They asked me how much money Usman Dar received from me. They hanged me upside down,” he said.

He said that the unknown people stripped him naked and asked him to confess that Usman Dar had taken money from him, saying that they had involved his wife and children too.

Imran Khan said that the unidentified people told Javed’s wife that they would make an obscene video of her husband if he did not give a statement against Dar.

“They wanted to make a case [against Dar]. They wanted the statement [from Javed] just like they wanted a statement against me from Shahbaz Gill,” he added.

Imran said that PTI leader Azam Swati was picked up and tortured on the basis of only one tweet. “They sent an objectionable video to his daughter. I did not know that such a treatment was meted out to the citizens of this country ever,” he added.

The PTI chief said that many social media workers belonging to the party were also taken into custody and were subjected to severe torture. “Parents of a boy called me and said that their son has not recovered yet... they fear to publicly come out as everyone fears namaloom afraad,” he said.

Lashing out at the incumbent government, Imran Khan said that they should not be considered politicians but mafia. “Interior minister is running an [audio] tape of a judge. Maryam runs tapes too. Saqib Nisar’s tape was also leaked. What kind of politicians do that,” he questioned.

He urged the CJP to take suo motu on the treatment meted out to Javed, saying that it was the duty of the judiciary to protect the fundamental rights of citizens.

“I urge CJP to listen to Javed and draw the line somewhere. People should have confidence that the judiciary will protect them,” he added.

Hitting out at the Chief Election Commissioner, Imran said that there has never been a more dishonest CEC in the history of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan strongly condemned the “fascist approach” of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government for treating his party’s workers and leaders detained during the “Jail Bharo Tehreek” (court arrest movement) as terrorists. The movement, according to the PTI rationale, aims to counter the “attack on constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights” and the “economic meltdown” by the incumbent government”.

In the tweet, Khan claimed that his party’s leadership and workers are protesting against fascism, the violation of fundamental rights and the crushing of the nation. It is pertinent to mention here that in Peshawar — considered a stronghold of the PTI —the party’s court arrest movement ended with no detention.

While the police geared up for arrests and appealed to the PTI workers for surrendering themselves before the authorities, none of the members seemingly paid heed to their call.