Khan tells Supreme Court that country under unannounced martial law

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan on June 6 told Supreme Court judges that the country was facing an “unannounced martial law” during the hearing of the NAB amendments case hearing.

Khan also talked about the “victimisation” he had to face since his ouster from power in April 2022.

The jailed PTI founder appeared before the Supreme Court’s five-member bench via video link from Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, where has been incarcerated since his conviction in the Toshakhana case last year.

The SC bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and comprising Justice Aminuddin, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi heard the case.

Interestingly, Khan quoted India’s example during his argument that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was released on bail ahead of the Indian elections to run his campaign.

Furthermore, Khan expressed dissatisfaction with the top court’s judgement rejecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s government plea requesting the live streaming of the case saying to CJP Isa, “You wrote [in the judgment] that I did political point scoring during the last hearing. I did not get it, what political scoring did I resort to?”

CJP replied that a judge does not owe an explanation to anyone and that he can “file a review petition.”

Criticising alleged political victimisation, the PTI chairman suggested that the Supreme Court should appoint a NAB chairman.

“When opposition and government fail to evolve consensus on the name of NAB chairman appointment then a ‘third umpire’ makes the decision,” he said, adding that the NAB is working under the “third umpire”.

“Solve the problems by sitting in parliament. This country needs to move forward,” the CJP said to Khan.