ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers on Thursday claimed that their strong protests inside the house forced President Asif Ali Zardari to “cut short” his presidential address to the joint sitting of parliament.

Talking to journalists outside parliament, the opposition leader in the National Assembly Omer Ayub said that “it was due to the party’s intense protest, Zardari had to leave his speech in the middle and walk out of the house”.

He also termed the presidential speech “a speech by an unconstitutional president”, saying Zardari is yet to step down as chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) due to which, his speech is contrary to the law and the constitution.

To a question about grouping within the party especially after Sher Afzal Marwat’s statement accusing Saudi Arabia of playing in the regime change operation, he said that there exists only one group, whose name is Imran Khan.

He said that the government is hell-bent on not to allow medical check-up of Bushra Bibi from Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH), and instead wants it to be done from Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).

“If a medical check-up is done from PIMS, there are 100 per cent chances her medical reports will be manipulated,” he claimed.

About holding talks with the government, he said let Imran Khan come out of jail as this is our only condition for talks with the rulers imposed on us through Forms 47.

PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan said that the PTI does not accept Zardari as president as he is yet to resign as chairman PPP, adding the party will continue its protest against the government and Zardari.

He said that those responsible for the security of Bushra Bibi will be held accountable if anything happens to her.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by PTI said that the party has started the process to organise and mobilise itself at the grassroots level across the country in light of the instructions and guidelines of Imran Khan.

The party has assigned the task to Shoaib Shaheen to oversee the formation and function of the organisational structure of the party at the block code level.

Moreover, the PTI blamed Chief Justice of Pakistan for what it called ‘harassment and intimidation of judges’.

PTI spokesman Raoof Hasan alleged that the intimidation of judges is a well-thought-out strategy to “turn the courts into Kangaroo courts” which is evident from the fact that if a judge gives a decision on merit, he is being targeted.

He said that the anti-terrorism court judge, who gave bail to Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi in 9 cases, was slapped with a reference by the Punjab government.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024