Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa has issued a response to a letter from Imran Khan, the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), seeking a fair playing field for his party in the upcoming general elections on February 8, 2024.
In a letter from Dr. Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad, the secretary to the chief judge, it was conveyed that Chief Justice Isa is fully aware of his constitutional responsibilities and will not succumb to pressure or show favoritism to any party. The response comes after Imran Khan raised concerns about alleged discrimination against PTI, including arrests and cases filed against its leaders.
The statement from the top court emphasized that Chief Justice Isa remains committed to fulfilling his duties and upholding the oath of his office without being influenced by external pressures. It also mentioned that an extensive seven-page application from Imran Khan was received on December 1, comprising 84 pages of typed content, tables, and photocopies. The document, sent by advocate Intazar Hussian Panjutha, arrived in a sealed envelope but had already been distributed to the media before its official receipt.
The statement raised concerns about the political party, which had ample legal representation, sending an application in such a manner. It pointed out that the party’s advocates had recently handled significant cases in the Supreme Court. Imran Khan had requested the chief judge to intervene and ensure that PTI is allowed to conduct political activities without discrimination.
In his letter, Imran Khan, who has been replaced as the party’s chairman, alleged that PTI leaders and activists were being targeted through multiple criminal cases to keep them in custody, describing it as a tactic of abuse and oppression used throughout the country.
The letter stated,“Those bailed out by the courts in one or more cases are immediately booked in further case that purport to pertain to events several months in the past. Often several FIRs are registered against persons affiliated with the PTI with respect to the same event. The same persons are also implicated in successive FIRs with respect to different and unrelated events all across the country.”
