IK says constitutional amendments aimed at giving extension to ‘three umpires’

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday said that “they are bringing constitutional amendments to give extension to “three umpires aimed at protecting the election fraud”.

They are bringing constitutional amendments to extend the tenure of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Chief Election Commissioner Sultan Raja, Khan claimed, while talking to reporters at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, after the hearing of Al-Qadir Trust case against him and his wife Bushra Bibi.

He said that they are trying to give an extension to the three umpires to protect ‘election fraud’.

Khan said that they are afraid that if Qazi Faez Isa’s term ends then an investigation of May 9 and election fraud will start.

When he was told that the matter related to bringing constitutional amendments had been reserved, he said that they (the government) are making efforts to get the required numbers and then they will bring it.

To a question how he sees the role of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Khan said that nothing could be said.

To another question that he is not clear about JUI-F chief’s role, he said that all political forces need to unite for strengthening of democracy. If the Maulana stands for democracy it is a good thing, he said.

Khan said that arrests and raids against PTI leaders and workers have been started to prevent the holding of a PTI public gathering in Lahore but public gatherings will be held at any cost. I am giving a message to the nation to leave everything behind and come out for the public gathering to be held in Lahore, he said.

Earlier, the Accountability Court judge, Nasir Javed Rana, adjourned the hearing of the £190 million National Crime Agency (NCA) commonly known as the Al-Qadir Trust case without proceeding at the request of the defence counsel.

At the start of the hearing, Khan’s counsel Usman Riaz Gull requested the court to adjourn the hearing of the case till today (Thursday) as the lead counsel Zaheer Abbas is busy in the IHC.

Khan and his wife were produced before the court. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi and prosecutor Amjad Pervaiz appeared before the court.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024