ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) reiterated its demand on Friday for Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa to recuse himself from benches handling cases involving the political party.
PTI’s founder, Imran Khan, voiced his concerns to reporters after attending proceedings in a £190 million corruption case, emphasizing that cases should not be influenced by personal preferences and that all citizens are equal before the law.
Expressing frustration, Imran Khan hinted at considering a hunger strike if justice continued to be elusive. He urged PTI leaders to refrain from airing internal disputes publicly to maintain focus on their objectives. Khan also remarked on the recent budget’s impact on burying the politics of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Imran Khan pointed out that despite objections from his legal team regarding the presence of Chief Justice Isa on benches, cases involving PTI continued to be assigned to Courtroom 1. He reiterated claims that Adiala Jail’s operations were overseen by a military officer, which allegedly led to the denial of access to PTI leaders seeking to meet him on internal party matters.
In a separate press conference, PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan supported the demand for Chief Justice Isa’s recusal from PTI-related cases due to the party’s reservations. PTI lawyer Shoaib Shaheen stressed the importance of decisions being based strictly on the law and Constitution, echoing concerns over the impartiality of benches with the Chief Justice’s participation.
Meanwhile, Judge Mohammad Ali Warriach of the accountability court scheduled statements from four witnesses in the corruption case, including prominent figures like Pervez Khattak and Zubeda Jalal, for July 10. The ongoing trial has already seen statements from 30 prosecution witnesses, each subjected to cross-examination by the defense counsel.
The PTI’s stance underscores ongoing legal battles intertwined with political complexities, as the party navigates judicial proceedings amidst assertions of judicial impartiality and transparency.
