PESHAWAR: PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan asked Wednesday why the doors of the courts were opened late at night before his ouster from office.
The Supreme Court on April 9 was all set to hear a plea past its notified timing regarding the deadline set by the apex court for the voting on the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly as former NA speaker Asad Qaiser did not hold voting on the move till nearly midnight, while the Islamabad High Court was also opened to hear another plea.
However, in a turn of events, the speaker resigned and handed over the session to MNA Ayaz Sadiq, who held the voting on the no-confidence motion, and as a result, Khan became the first prime minister to be ousted through the democratic process.
But in today’s Peshawar rally, a charged Khan questioned the opening of courts and told the respected judges that he had gone to jail — during the lawyer’s movement — for an independent judiciary.
“The courts were opened at night. Why? Did I break any laws?” he questioned as he claimed that since joining politics, he has never incited people against institutions.
“I will live and die for Pakistan.”
The PTI chairman also warned that he was not that dangerous while he was part of the government, but now that he has been ousted, he will become “more dangerous” for the Opposition.
Khan said that every time a prime minister was ousted, people would celebrate it, but when he was removed from office, the masses registered a protest — referring to the Sunday rallies across the country.
“We will not accept an imported government and people have shown what they want by holding demonstrations against the move,” he said.
The PTI chairman maintained that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz are released on bail, while PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif is an absconder, whose daughter — PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz — was also released from jail on bail.
“America has insulted Pakistan by imposing these bandits on us; Shehbaz Sharif is facing corruption charges of Rs40 billion,” Khan added. “Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was sacked through a conspiracy by the USA, but this is not the Pakistan of 1970. This is the new Pakistan.”
Ex-prime minister Khan repeatedly blamed the US for backing the no-confidence motion — that lead to his ouster early Sunday — and has refused to accept the newly elected premier, saying “there can’t be any bigger insult to this country” — but the Joe Biden’s administration denied any role.
Lashing out at PM Shehbaz, Khan said: “He will not find a place to hide if I ask masses to stage protests.”
