ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, the founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has filed an urgent appeal with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite.
This move comes as the Pakistani government aims to pass significant amendments to the Constitution that pose serious threats to the rule of law and judicial independence.
Imran Khan’s appeal was submitted by international legal counsel Edward Fitzgerald KC, Tatyana Eatwell, and Jennifer Robinson, who were instructed by Imran Khan’s family to engage with the UN and advocate for his rights.
The appeal highlights the proposed 26th Amendment, which would strip the Supreme Court of its jurisdiction and transfer it to a new Federal Constitutional Court. This would include matters related to the protection of fundamental rights and constitutional interpretation, raising alarms about political interference in the judiciary.
“The proposed amendments are clearly aimed at removing the jurisdiction and powers of the Supreme Court, at a time when the judiciary in Pakistan is already under threat,” said Edward Fitzgerald. He emphasised that the amendments would entrench existing impunity for human rights violations committed by military and security forces.
Further, the proposed changes would allow a National Assembly Committee to select the Chief Justice of the new court in private meetings, undermining public scrutiny and transparency in judicial appointments.
This is particularly concerning in the context of Imran Khan’s ongoing legal challenges, including government plans to try him in a military court. The amendments would severely limit his ability to contest the spurious criminal cases brought against him since he was ousted from office in April 2022.
Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023, facing numerous fabricated charges.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared his detention unlawful earlier this year, and Amnesty International has called for his immediate release. The urgent appeal argues that the amendments would significantly undermine not only Imran Khan’s rights but also the fundamental rights of all citizens in Pakistan.
The backdrop to these developments includes a deteriorating justice system characterised by prosecutorial harassment and the systematic targeting of Imran Khan, his family, and PTI supporters.
The media has been restricted from mentioning Imran Khan’s name, and numerous journalists have faced abduction and torture for their reporting.
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