Opposition calls for Alvi, Imran to quit

ISLAMABAD: A joint statement from opposition parties issued hours after the Supreme Court tossed out the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Friday called for President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan to step down over a “vicious attempt to twist the judiciary’s arm”.

The statement -- issued by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Jamaat-e-Islami, Qaumi Watan Party and National Party, said the “reality of the Assets Recovery Unit has come before the nation” and called for it to be disbanded in light of the decision, the statement said.

“An attempt was made to defame the higher judiciary by making baseless references against the judge,” the united opposition said. “The reference was in fact a vicious attempt to twist the arm of the higher judiciary and put pressure on it,” the opposition said in its statement.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the party leadership and workers are “ready” to go to jail for protection of Constitution. “We will not spare any sacrifice for the protection of the Constitution,” Bilawal added. “We will not compromise on tampering with any provision of the constitution.”