Phone taps aimed to pressure judges, prevent rule of law: Imran Khan

• PML-N has a history of targeting judiciary, claims Imran Khan.
• Starting Jail Bharo movement for real independence, says PTI chief. 
• List of volunteers for court arrest, prepared says PTI focal person.

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan believes that tapping phone calls is aimed to pressurise the judges and prevent the rule of law in the country, The News reported on Sunday.

The former premier passed the comment during a meeting with columnists and senior writers. In the meeting, the PTI chief discussed his party's political strategy, economic challenges and terrorism incidents, also elaborating on PTI's Jail Bharo Tehreek (court arrest movement) and its targets.

Referring to the phone-tapping occurrences, the PTI chairman said that the ongoing propaganda against the judiciary, especially the judges, was shameful, adding that "Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had a history of targeting the judiciary." 

Khan said, "The tapping of phone calls was a bid to pressurise the judges and stop the rule of law."

The PTI chief said the judiciary was the last hope of the nation. He added that the government should implement the rule of law without pressurising the judges.

Khan also alleged that the chief election commissioner (CEC) was the main supporter of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in constitutional violations. The incumbent government is promoting vengeful actions and political dictatorship, he added. 

Khan said the PTI would stop the lawlessness and economic crisis with the nation's support. He added he had announced the commencement of the Jail Bharo movement for real independence. 

He was of the opinion that political stability would bring economic stability to the country, which is impossible without the rule of law.

Khan further alleged that the former chief of the army staff (COAS) General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa had admitted to playing a role in regime change and violated his oath. He added that General (retd) Bajwa had also admitted controlling the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

He also alleged that former army chief had also admitted to audio recordings, which was an illegal step. He demanded the military to conduct an inquiry into General (retd) Bajwa's actions.

Khan praised President Dr Arif Alvi for not signing the Finance Bill ordinance. He said the finance bill would bring inflation to the country.

He said that economic indicators were positive during the PTI government's tenure. The default risk to Pakistan had reached 100% during the incumbent government.

Regarding his cases, the former premier said that he was being summoned by courts but the doctors had stopped him from walking.

He added that they sacrificed governments in two provinces to end the crisis through fresh elections but the rulers were delaying the polls. 

Khan stated, "Elections should be held within 90 days after the dissolution of assemblies as per the Constitution."

The former cricketer also alleged that the caretaker governments were not impartial and false cases were being filed against PTI leaders and supporters besides their arrests.

Khan said that they adopted a peaceful way to protest against the government by announcing the Jail Bharo movement. The PTI will start the movement on February 22 and they will surrender before the authorities across the country.

Jail Bharo Tehreek schedule

PTI focal person for Jail Bharo Tehreek, Ejaz Chaudhry, said that 200 party activists and six former members of the assemblies will court arrest daily, starting from February 22 in Lahore, continuing till March 1, 2023, in protest against the oppressive regime.

Speaking to the media at the party head office in Lahore, he said the purpose of Jail Bharo Tehreek was to end the violation of the Constitution in the country. 

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the PDM government were refusing to follow the Constitution and implement the court decisions. 

He regretted that the time for announcing a date for the Punjab Assembly elections had ended. "Why did the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governor, who had signed the assembly dissolution summary, not giving the election date," he questioned.

Providing details of the Jail Bharo Tehreek, he said a list of volunteers, who would court arrest, had already been prepared.

As per the schedule, the PTI activists would court arrest in Peshawar on February 23, in Rawalpindi on February 24, in Multan on February 25, in Gujranwala on February 26, in Sargodha on February 27, in Sahiwal on February 28 and in Faisalabad on March 1.

Chaudhry said the PTI would stage sit-ins if the authorities did not arrest them.