Gen Faiz’s arrest army’s internal matter: Imran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan’s legal team that met him in Adiala jail on Tuesday reported that their jailed leader had said that the arrest of Lt-General (retd) Faiz Hameed was an internal matter of the army and that his party had nothing to do with it.

Senior lawyer Intizar Panjutha, speaking to journalists after a meeting at the Rawalpindi jail, quoted Imran Khan as saying that the arrest of General Faiz was purely an internal army issue and the PTI had no connection to it.

“It is clear that Imran Khan had no political connection with General Faiz. It was General Bajwa who made a deal with Nawaz Sharif and replaced General Faiz,” the lawyer quoted Khan as saying.

Intizar Panjutha further explained that Imran Khan had suggested that if General Faiz’s arrest was related to the events of May 9 and he had any role in them, it would be a good opportunity to form a judicial commission and bring forward the CCTV footage from that day.

The senior lawyer also mentioned that during their detailed meeting with Imran Khan, the PTI founder had called on party leaders and workers to peacefully celebrate Independence Day on the night of August 13, carrying the national and party flags.

According to Intizar Panjutha, Imran Khan alleged that pressure was being exerted on the Supreme Court and that the hope of the youth is diminishing.

“The situation in Pakistan is worse than in Bangladesh. The power brokers should be aware. Qazi Faez Isa should step back as our three seats were taken away yesterday,” he quoted Khan as saying.

Another lawyer, Naeem Panjutha, said that when they informed Imran Khan about General Faiz’s arrest and statements from Federal Minister Khawaja Asif and Senator Faisal Vawda indicating that major actions would be taken in relation to May 9, including arrests of YouTubers and vloggers and military trials, Imran Khan saw it as a good opportunity to form a judicial commission.

Referring to the statements made by Khawaja Asif and Faisal Vawda, Imran Khan had downplayed their significance, stating that their remarks carry no weight and that there was no evidence linking the PTI to May 9 attacks. He reiterated his challenge to the government to establish a judicial commission.

Imran Khan had also expressed regret that while PTI’s petitions on fundamental rights, judicial commission, May 9, and election rigging remain pending, the Supreme Court has been taking up rival pleas and issuing verdicts against the PTI.

The lawyer noted that Imran Khan had criticised the Rawalpindi commissioner’s statements about elections and the roles of chief election commissioner and chief justice, which were observed globally. “Imran questioned why the commissioner is not being produced in court and why his statement about alleged poll rigging involving the chief election commissioner and chief justice not being recorded,” the lawyer quoted Imran as saying.