Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former premier Imran Khan on Thursday wrote to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa, seeking affirmative action against the political victimization of his party, and abductions, and disappearances of its workers.
In a letter addressed to the CJP on behalf of Khan, the top judge has requested to direct the federal and provincial governments as well as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to allow PTI, like all other political parties, to hold political meetings and gatherings without "discrimination".
In his letter, Khan said that a commission be established to further investigate the disappearances of PTI journalists and political workers.
He said that these disappearances or abductions, quite apart from the arbitrary arrests, have spread fear through society and are a grotesque affront to the claim that Pakistan is a country ruled by a constitution and a set of laws.
"Today, the power to prosecute and arrest is being used in a blatant attempt to engineer and skew the political landscape of the country," the PTI chief wrote.
He wrote that PEMRA should be ordered to provide media coverage to PTI like other parties.
Referring to the May 9 riots, Imran argued that a large number of women arrested in Lahore were a "tragic indictment of law enforcement". He said that these women were imprisoned for six months, with further re-arrests when bail was already granted in one case,
The PTI chief particularly highlighted Punjab, Khyber-Paktunkhwa, and Islamabad authorities for their 'maltreatment'.
His letter further maintained that any worker affiliated with the PTI is "being targeted through the registration of multiple and successive criminal cases so as to ensure continued imprisonment”.
Imran said party workers were being re-arrested, as he demanded the conduct of a fair trial against them.
The PTI chief stated that there was no possibility of fair general elections without SC’s intervention to stop the widespread arrests and abductions.
He said that the actions "favouring one set of political actors" and against PTI were breeding disgust in people, including the PTI supporters.
“In view of the foregoing, it is respectfully prayed that the apex court of the country may kindly exercise the power available to it to ensure the enforcement of fundamental rights and to grant to the people of Pakistan justice by making, inter alia, the following orders:”
The letter then requested the SC to put a halt to the arrests and registration of FIRs against the persons bailed out.
"Senior Advocate Aitzaz Ahsan filed a petition regarding enforced disappearances of politicians. This letter should be taken as a petition under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution," the letter said.