LAHORE: The PTI has called on the nation to rise above political affiliations and launch a movement to protect the independence of the judiciary, which is essential for the security and freedom of every individual in the country.
“The door of justice has been slapped on our faces,” PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said while speaking at a news conference at the Lahore Press Club. He accused the current rulers of attacking judicial independence to prevent any institution or individual from questioning the establishment.
He criticised the government for pushing through six crucial bills and planning to appoint 17 more judges to the Supreme Court, aiming to overshadow the voices of independent judges. He lamented that the judiciary had been made subservient to the establishment.
Mr Raja asserted that both the Supreme Court and high courts would be filled with judges who would prioritise the interests of the establishment over the grievances of the general public. Referring to the case of Advocate Intezar Hussain Panjutha, who was reportedly kidnapped and tortured, the PTI leader said every individual in the country is now forced to live in fear, as shown by his terrified expression and shaken demeanor.
“Rise and bring revolution in the country. The roads are waiting for you to express your anger against the confiscation of your rights and independence to live and progress,” Mr Raja urged the nation, warning that if action is not taken, individuals would be crushed and denied justice.
He regretted that the youth are increasingly hopeless and that their relationship with the state has deteriorated, adding that only an uprising akin to those in Bangladesh, Egypt and Sri Lanka could save the nation and restore independence.
The PTI secretary general said the ‘attack on the judiciary’s independence’ and making it subservient to the establishment warranted strong reaction from every Pakistani. Otherwise, he warned, everyone would live in fear of being picked up at any moment and facing a fate similar to that of Intezar Panjutha.
Mr Raja asserted that the entire system, including the judiciary, had been taken hostage to “teach a lesson to PTI founder Imran Khan, with death penalty” and harsh punishments to all those incarcerated.
