Former Prime Minister and current chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, expressed concern on Friday regarding the actions of the current government, which he believes are causing Pakistan to be ridiculed internationally.
In a tweet, Khan criticized the government for filing false First Information Reports (FIRs) and absurd sedition charges against a former Prime Minister for using terms like ‘Dirty Harry’ and ‘psychopath’, stating that they are damaging the country’s image.
He also cautioned that foreign investors might perceive the government’s refusal to accept the Supreme Court’s decision in the Punjab polls delay the case as a negative signal.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed concern on Twitter about the message that the Pakistani government is sending to foreign investors by not accepting decisions made by the Supreme Court.
He argued that investors need confidence in the judicial system to secure their contracts and that the government’s disregard for the Court’s orders undermines this confidence. He likened such behaviour to that of a “banana republic.”
Khan’s comments came after the federal government called for the resignation of Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, citing the controversial nature of Justice Athar Minallah’s note in the case. Justice Minallah noted that the Supreme Court had dismissed a suo motu notice regarding the delay in the announcement of provincial assembly elections by a majority 4-3 ruling.
The Supreme Court’s three-member bench, which included Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and Justice Munib Akhtar, issued a verdict on the PTI’s petition challenging the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to delay the Punjab Assembly polls until October 8.
However, the government rejected the verdict and called it a “minority verdict”, with the National Assembly passing a resolution against the top Court. The government’s refusal to accept the Supreme Court’s decision has raised concerns about the country’s democracy and judicial system.
In addition, the PTI chief Imran Khan has accused the government of attempting to undermine the party’s ability to contest elections by filing sedition cases against him and imprisoning senior party leader Ali Amin Gandapur.
He claims this is part of the “London Plan,” in which Nawaz Sharif was allegedly assured that PTI’s leadership would be imprisoned before the elections through fake cases.
According to media reports, Imran Khan has been pushing for assembly elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces to force an early general election since losing a vote of confidence and being forced from office a year ago.
