Imran Khan files plea in SC against imposition of military in parts of country

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan challenged on Thursday the invoking of Article 245 in the Supreme Court (SC).

Under Article 245, the army can be called in to aid the civil administration.

Imran has named Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, ex-president Asif Ali Zardari, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and others as respondents.

In his petition, Imran said the arrests, investigations and trial of citizens under the Army Act 1952 were “unconstitutional” and amounts to negation of the Constitution, and independence of the judiciary.

Imran said that the “dismantling of PTI through forcible quitting of party membership and office are unconstitutional and void being against Article 17 of the Constitution”.

The PTI chairman urged the SC to order the constitution of a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9 and 10.

‘Ready for talks with powerful quarters’

On Wednesday, Imran said that he was ready to form a committee for talks with the ‘powerful quarters’ and he was ready to step aside if they convince him that his exit from politics would benefit the country.

“I am forming this committee and I seek two things; if they convince me that they have a solution and the country could function better without Imran Khan, or they convince me what benefit Pakistan could gain from holding elections in October. Convince us on these two things and I am ready to retreat for the sake of the country,” the former PM said while addressing the PTI supporters through a video link on Wednesday.

He averred that he was ready to give another chance to dialogue, adding he would announce the committee on Thursday (today) to hold a dialogue with those who have power in the country.

“However, I am still unable to comprehend how Pakistan would benefit if the elections were held in October,” he added.

Talking about the ‘persecution’ of his party leaders, workers and supporters, Khan said that fundamental rights have been suspended in the country. “Over 10,000 workers of his party have been put in jail while around 25 innocent protesters were killed by the law enforcement agencies. Even the prisoners of war have some fundamental rights, but my workers have been denied,” he claimed.

“Today, human rights violations were on the rise, which was never seen before in the country. The situation was so ugly that the detainees could only come out of the jail after speaking the magic words, ‘I am quitting the PTI’, in front of the media,” he said.