File photo of PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) core committee on Thursday reiterated its criticism of party founder Imran Khan’s ongoing detention, demanding his immediate release.
According to a statement, the committee discussed various issues, including the delay in hearing of appeals against the convictions of Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and the recounting of votes in various constituencies of Punjab. It said the party’s legal team had briefed the committee on Khan’s cases, with the party leadership strongly condemning the ongoing incarceration at Adiala Jail.
The committee stressed the state’s intent to subject Khan to a “political vendetta” was evident from his speedy trial in “fabricated” cases like the Toshakhana and cipher cases. Expressing annoyance over the tactics used to delay appeals against court decisions, it demanded that all cases against Imran Khan be proceeded in accordance with the Constitution and law and orders issued for his immediate release in all cases.
The statement claimed the committee also voiced serious concerns over alleged threats to the health and life of Bushra Bibi and denounced her house arrest at her Banigala residence against her will, endangering her life. It called for providing foolproof security to the former first lady and immediate redress of threats to her health and life.
The forum also declared the recounting of votes in various constituencies of Punjab as unconstitutional, reiterating claims that the PTI’s constitutional seats were being gifted to the PMLN. It reiterated a demand for a fresh audit of all contested constituencies using Form 45s and for the “return” of the PTI’s “stolen” seats.
Following the meeting, appearing on Geo News, PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat said the party founder was disappointed with the order and had directed they be challenged in the Supreme Court. He also linked the party’s inability to secure relief from the Peshawar High Court—which rejected its petition challenging the denial of reserved seats to the Sunni Ittehad Council—to “two mistakes” over its alliance.
The lawyer claimed that the PTI had initially decided to ally with JUI-Sherani, but the party was subsequently sidelined and they proceeded toward PTI-Nazriati, which also fell apart. “There is still a question mark on why it happened and the party must introspect on this issue,” he said. The second mistake, he claimed, was deciding to ally with the SIC rather than the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen. This, he claimed, was due to sectarian propaganda.
“Whoever made these decisions should be identified, and the party must take disciplinary action against them,” he said.