Amid a crackdown on PTI supporters and challenges faced by PTI-backed candidates in launching their election campaigns, imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan has issued a warning.
He stated that if the nominated candidates fail to actively engage in their election campaigns, he would replace them with more suitable candidates. Imran Khan made these remarks after the hearing of the cipher case, where star witness Asad Majeed provided his statement.
Imran Khan urged PTI candidates to organize massive rallies and public gatherings to demonstrate the party’s strength in their constituencies, threatening to cancel tickets if electioneering doesn’t gain momentum by Sunday. Despite alleging denial of the fundamental right of electioneering and disruption of PTI offices, Imran Khan expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would prevent any delay in the elections.
Regarding the cipher case, Asad Majeed testified about a meeting with the US Assistant Secretary of State and the communication of information through a cipher. Imran Khan defended Majeed’s credibility but questioned the government’s issuance of a demarche to the US if there was no mention of ‘conspiracy’ or ‘threat’ in the diplomatic cable.
Imran Khan claimed the cipher case was orchestrated to protect US officials and accused it of being a ploy to save Donald Lu and former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. He alleged that the then military attaché communicated information to Gen Bajwa, leading to a no-confidence motion against him.
In the realm of NAB references, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan concluded arguments on petitions against Imran Khan’s jail trial. The Islamabad High Court heard these petitions, with Khan’s counsel arguing that the notification for the jail trial violated relevant laws. The court postponed further hearings until Wednesday.
The Lahore High Court restored Imran Khan’s petitions seeking pre-arrest bail in cases related to May 9 riots. The court directed the trial court to decide on the bail petitions on merits, allowing Khan to attend via video link from jail. Additionally, a PTI candidate from NA-128 approached the LHC against the ECP for declaring him an independent candidate, arguing that PTI still exists and has not been dissolved.
