PTI devises plan for Imran’s release

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Core Committee has considered a comprehensive strategy for the release of the party’s founder chairman, which also includes staging protests.

The core committee met here Tuesday night under its PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and condemned the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment through tactics like ‘horse trading’. It also endorsed the decision of the PTI political committee to issue show cause notices to those party lawmakers, who had a suspicious conduct with regards to the amendment.

The statement issued after the meeting said that the assessment of the legal possibilities of challenging the amendment and the preparation of the plan of action was entrusted to the legal committee.

The committee endorsed the decision to boycott the Special Parliamentary Committee meeting for the nomination of the Chief Justice of Pakistan. The forum demanded the lifting of the ban on meeting Imran Khan, and the release of Aleema Khan, Uzma Khanum, Azam Swati and Intezar Panjotha.

According to the statement, it was decided to form sub-committees for the preparation of protest and nationwide movement for the release of PTI leadership and workers. The statement also said that it has been agreed to hold the core committee meeting on weekly basis on Friday, whereas the political committee will hold meeting twice a week on Monday and Wednesday.

Separately, PTI senior leader and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan said that the 26th Constitutional Amendment has been passed in a fraudulent manner. Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, he alleged: “Five of our members were abducted and their votes were taken. How long will this fraud with the public last? People were managed by means of bullying.”

Replying to a question, the PTI leader said that they will raise the case of reserved seats before the new chief justice. He regretted that Bushra Bibi, despite being innocent and a housewife, was kept in prison illegally and that her release that was supposed to take place on Wednesday.

He said that the PTI founder had also been kept in jail illegally and so is the case of Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, whereas 1,600 people, including Yasmin Rashid, Mahmudur Rashid, had also been kept in jail illegally.

About the constitutional amendment, he claimed that the draft finalised by the Special Parliamentary Committee was not even known to the committee. “We condemn the way the [amendment in the] constitution was made,” he noted.

Shakeel Anjum adds: “Our struggle for the supremacy of the Constitution and the law will continue, and we will pursue the case regarding reserved seats, which is our right,” Ayub declared.

Ayub further lambasted agencies, accusing them of interfering in parliamentary processes. “Their role within and outside the parliament is disgraceful,” he stated.

“Women were abducted, property was damaged, and an atmosphere similar to North Korea and Burma has been created,” he remarked, lamenting the lack of rule of law and its negative impact on Pakistan’s economy and investment prospects. He reiterated that the PTI leadership remains committed to fighting for justice and holding those responsible for manipulating the rule of law accountable.