PTI urges judiciary to expedite cases related to poll rigging, 26th Amendment

• Gohar demands judiciary to hear petition against 26 Amendment.
• ATC judges have to take a stand, release political prisoners: Ayub.
• Raja demands to increase judges in Punjab election tribunals.
  

The embattled Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) urged the judiciary on Monday to expedite cases related to rigging in the 2024 nationwide polls and the 26th Constitutional Amendment,  seeking "wise decisions" for the betterment of the country.

These demands were made at a joint press conference conducted by PTI's top leaders, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz, and Salman Akram Raja in Islamabad on Monday.

"One year has passed after the nation gave the mandate to the PTI," claimed Gohar, criticising the fact that a "Form 47" government had been formed by bulldozing the majority.

The former ruling party’s chairman alleged that his party had filed 74 petitions against vote rigging during the Feb 8 polls, however, the courts have failed to announce any verdicts till today.

Subsequently, he also criticised the 26th Constitutional Amendment — a judiciary-centric legislation passed by both houses of parliament in October last year.

He highlighted that under the 26th Amendment, almost 46 judges were appointed to the superior judiciary, including 12 in Sindh, 10 in Peshawar, nine in Lahore, three in Balochistan, and two in Islamabad.

It is noteworthy to mention here that the appointments to the superior judiciary drew criticism from some Supreme Court judges, the legal fraternity and the PTI which boycotted the Judicial Commission of Pakistan's (JCP) session.

The opposition party and SC judges demanded the postponement of the JCP meetings until the cases against the 26th Amendment were decided.

Reiterating the demand, Gohar said that the case related to the contentious constitutional amendment must be heard and decided by the judiciary.

Ayub, addressing the press conference, the PTI leader also demanded the judiciary to stand up for the rule of law and release all political prisoners, including party founder Imran Khan — who has been behind bars since August 2023.

"Judges of the anti-terrorism courts will have to take a stand," urged the opposition leader in the National Assembly, adding that the judiciary should have stood on its feet and told everyone that "enough is enough".

He added that the former premier Khan, ex-first lady Bushra, PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Yasmin Rashid, Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed, Hassan Niazi, and others were political prisoners who should be released.

Ayub claimed that jail amenities have been taken back from Khan which he deserved as the former premier of the country. He also alleged that the PTI founder was kept in isolation by restricting access to him at the [Adiala] jail.

Slamming the incumbent government, the NA opposition leader claimed that the rulers were making false claims of economic progress and a reduction in inflation.

He went on to say that nobody was ready to invest due to present circumstances.

PTI Secretary General Raja also addressed the press conference and reiterated his demand to appoint more judges to the election tribunals. He criticised that only two jurists were appointed to the tribunals hearing election-related petitions in Punjab.

The senior lawyer said that the current parliament has no legal grounds as facts of the stolen mandate could not be hidden.

Leader of Opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz said that the country could not see political stability until free and fair elections were held. He also stressed legislation aimed at providing relief to the nation.

The major opposition party has expedited efforts to form a grand opposition alliance, as incarcerated Khan proposed to start anti-government protests after Eid.

Unveiling the former ruling party's strategy, PTI founder's lawyer Faisal Chaudhry said two days ago that the PTI was working towards forming a grand opposition alliance, focused on certain objectives including restoration of the constitution and democracy.

He added that Khan ordered Asad Qaiser to contact all opposition parties, including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Mahmood Khan Achakzai's Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's Awaam Pakistan, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Mahrang Baloch, and others.

Since Khan's ouster from power, the PTI has organised a series of anti-government protests in the past. However, they ended up abruptly following violent clashes between the protesters and law enforcers.

The party's protest after Khan's arrest in 2023 turned violent as several government and military installations were targeted by the protesters on May 9, leading to arrests and military trials of the accused.

The country once again witnessed fierce clashes between law enforcers and demonstrators when they held a protest rally on November 26, 2024, in Islamabad.