Islamabad, Sep 16 (PTI) Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Monday rejected the anticipated constitutional changes, claiming that it was an effort to keep him in prison by controlling the judiciary.
The 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician made the remarks during an informal conversation with journalists at the Adiala Jail, where he has been lodged since August last year.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder said that “the purpose of constitutional amendment is only to keep me in jail”. He added that the rulers have decided to sink the judiciary. “All this is being done to hide the election fraud.” Khan claimed that if actual election results were revealed, everything will be reversed. The PTI leader claimed that the government was pursuing to set up a new constitutional court out of fear of the Supreme Court.
“The establishment of a constitutional court is being implemented because they are afraid of the Supreme Court,” he said, adding that the new amendments would destroy the future of the country.
He further said that the money of those behind the amendment is lying outside and the people sitting in the government do not want to see an independent judiciary. “The interests of the elite and the interests of the country are contradictory,” he said.
Khan also claimed that 4,000 Pakistani companies were registered in Dubai in six months and the country is being run by taking loans, which was the main cause of difficulties being faced in controlling inflation.
He criticised Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, claiming that the government wants to destroy the judiciary to bring Isa back. “They think we will remain silent against it. If this happens, we will strongly protest against it,” he warned.
He also criticised amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) laws, claiming they were used to forgive billions in corruption. He argued that the government’s actions threaten the rule of law and increase political instability through threats to judges and the elimination of political opposition.
Announcing a peaceful protest in Lahore on September 21, he called on the public to defend their rights and the judiciary.
On Sunday, Khan launched a scathing attack on his opponents, including the chief justice, the establishment and his rival politicians.
The former premier posted that the government was reportedly going to introduce a constitutional amendment to rewrite the rules about the top judiciary. Khan lashed out at the government for trying to tweak the laws to allegedly control the judiciary. PTI SH GSP ZH GSP GSP
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.