Imran Khan doubles down on fighting 'fascist forces'

• Imran says govt can't terrorise him and his party into submission. 
• Says state and govt are mistaken to believe they can coerce him. 
• He deplores treatment given to Fawad Chaudhry.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that the government, which he referred to as a 'cabal of crooks,' will not be able to intimidate him or his party into submission. He said the state and the government were mistaken if they thought so.

The PIT chief's statement comes in reaction to the treatment meted out to PTI Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry after he was arrested by the Islamabad police a couple of days ago from his residence in Lahore in the wee hours of January 25.

Fawad, a former federal minister in the Imran Khan-led government, publicly "threatened" the members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and their families in a media talk a day earlier, while he addressed the PTI supporters who rushed to Imran Khan's residence in Lahore's Zaman Park after rumours ciculated that the government plans to arrest the PTI chief.

Fawad was then taken to Islamabad, where the capital's police were granted a two-day remand of the PTI leader in the sedition case. His arrest drew strong criticism within the federal government's ranks.  However, the government denied involvement.

"If the State and cabal of crooks think they can create an environment of fear and terrify us into submission, they have got it all wrong," Imran Khan said in his statement issued on Twitter on Thursday.

In addition, Khan said the Pakistani people were more determined than ever before to stand up against the current oppressive regime.

"My Party and I are more resolute than ever before to fight against these fascist forces for democracy, the rule of law and justice for our people," he asserted. 

President asks officials to have some shame

President Dr Arif Alvi had also deplored the arrest and the manner in which Fawad was presented in the Islamabad court and asked the officials to "have some shame" as they covered his head with a white sheet and also handcuffed him.

Fawad's arrest draws criticism 

Senior politicians and a human rights organisation have deplored the sedition charge levelled against Fawad Chaudhry and demanded that "they must be dropped immediately.

Mian Raza Rabbani, former chairman Senate and a leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), said that Fawad's arrest under Pakistan Penal Code's Section 124-A "is unwarranted".

In a statement, he stated that his Private Members Bill for deletion of section 124-A was passed by the Senate on July 9, 2021, but the bill was deliberately "lost" in the National Assembly (NA).

"It is a matter of history that charges of treason and sedition are only levelled and levied against politicians and civilians," the former Senate chairman noted.

"It is a matter of fact that the Lahore High Court quashed the proceedings of the Special Court in the matter of high treason charges under Article 6, Constitution, 1973, against Parvez Musharaf."

He also advised the government to "refrain from prosecuting under such sections." The government should also, on its own motion, give notice of "my bill for the deletion of section 124-A, which is lying dormant in the National Assembly", he said.

In a press conference in Islamabad, Minister of State for Petroleum Division Musadik Malik said that if the PTI leader is sentenced in the case, it should be based on "evidence".

He also called on the authorities that they should take action against people in line with the law.

“Action should be taken against those who violate the law. Fawad Chaudhry is my friend. I didn’t file the case against him. The case was filed by the ECP."

"I do not consider it appropriate to lodge cases of treason against politicians. If they carry out treason, they would be treated as per the law," he added.

Another senior PPP leader, Farhatullah Babar, also lamented over the case against Fawad and said: "Application of this law against anyone cannot be condoned."

In a tweet, the PPP leader said: "The PPP is, in principle, opposed to colonial-era sedition law 124-A & demanded its repeal in the parliament. Application of this law against anyone cannot be condoned."

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also condemned the charge against Fawad and termed them archaic and colonial laws that the governments use to punish the politicians who criticise their policies.

Taking to Twitter, HRCP said: "HRCP deplores the continuous use of archaic, colonial laws against sedition by successive governments against their political opponents."

"Fawad Chaudhry is the latest in the series. The charges must be dropped immediately and the government of the day must act more responsibly," the HRCP wrote.