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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Imran Khan mocks Sharif for playing good cop, bad cop

News Analysis |

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran has mocked the ‘house of Sharif’ for playing good cop, bad cop, and making the nation a fool, when the elder brother (Nawaz Sharif) laments against the military establishment for his ousting while the younger Sharif (Shehbaz) attempts to extend the olive branch towards the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Khan believes that the ‘Sharif brothers’ are duping the nation, where one brother is playing confrontational politics, ridiculing institutions, while the other brother attempts to mend fences by using sweet words for the Army Chief. Khan ferociously criticized the cases lodged against him in the ATC and termed them a politically motivated move. Khan believes the cases are aimed to take vengeance against his political struggle in the country.

Imran Khan condemned the attack and claimed that the protesters were not from his party. It is apparent that Khan and others who protested against the government are subjected to political vengeance.

Khan believes the terrorism cases are used against the political leaders to gain political ascendency and vengeance. While talking to the media outside the court, Imran cited the example of the shoe hurler on Nawaz, who is also subjected to terrorism charges. Khan condemned the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in a statement asserting that people flock to a party only when it is in power.

Khan again assured the reporters and public that Nawaz has nothing to produce for his defense in the case, other than the Qatari letter, which fails to provide the money trail required to prove the accumulation of mammoth wealth stashed abroad.

Read more: Why should we support Imran Khan?

Imran Khan supports Sharif family’s demand to broadcast the case proceedings live on TV. On April 5, the disgruntled former three-time Prime Minister (PM) and Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N’s) ‘Quaid for life’ Nawaz Sharif demanded that the hearing of the corruption cases against him in the accountability court should be broadcast live. 

The father-daughter duo expressed a desire to expose the slander which they believe is exposed in the accountability court proceedings. Khan is facing four cases in the ATC including the PTV and parliament attack case and the SSP Asmatullah Junejo torture case.

SSP Asmatullah Junejo Torture Case

On Tuesday, ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand reserved the verdict on the application filed under section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) after hearing arguments from PTI chief’s counsel Dr Babar Awan and Special Public Prosecutor Chaudhry Shafqaat. Terrorism cases are also registered against other PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek leaders.

Khan ferociously criticized the cases lodged against him in the ATC and termed them a politically motivated move. Khan believes the cases are aimed to take vengeance against his political struggle in the country.

In 2014, PTI along with Tahir ul Qadri demonstrated against the PML-N government over the alleged rigging in 2013 general elections and the Model Town killings. At the climax of the long sit-in, protestors had allegedly beaten up the SSP Asmatullah Junejo on Constitution Avenue. The protest which remained calm for a prolonged period of time apparently turned violent and it ended up attacking the Pakistan Television (PTV) headquarters and the parts of the Parliament, as being alleged.

Cases were registered against the Imran Khan and Qadri along with other prominent party leaders. Imran has denied the accusations and his plea to transfer the cases to civil court was rejected in December last year. Initially, Khan was not appearing in the court proceedings. Despite the issuance of non-bailable warrants he was not arrested. He, nevertheless, had to surrender, after the ATC ordered to seize his assets.

Read more: Imran Khan lashes out at PM over asset whitening scheme

On November 14, Khan was given the bail, and which was later extended. On February 15, his requested an appeal seeking acquittal and exemption from appearance. However the plea seeking exemption from appearances was rejected. PTI chief’s counsel Babar Awan attempted to reassure the court that Khan is not a terrorist and refused to take any responsibility for these attacks.

The father-daughter duo expressed a desire to expose the slander which they believe is exposed in the accountability court proceedings. Khan is facing four cases in the ATC including the PTV and parliament attack case and the SSP Asmatullah Junejo torture case.

In his arguments, Chaudhry Shafqaat, Special Public Prosecutor, cited Section 21-L (punishment for an absconder) of the Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) that states that “whenever being accused of an offence under this Act, [someone] absconds and avoids arrest or evades appearance before any inquiry, investigation or court proceeding or conceals himself, and obstructs the course of justice, shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than six months and not more than five years or with fine or with both.”

Imran Khan condemned the attack and claimed that the protesters were not from his party. It is apparent that Khan and others who protested against the government are subjected to political vengeance. There is an increasing trend of crushing political dissent by using legal means in this country. The culture of political victimization needs to end, if Pakistan wants to make serious progress towards becoming a democratic country.