Maryam and Imran engage in a Twitter argument.
Dispute between PML-N and PTI leaders over two SC judges at suo motu case hearing.
The inclusion of two Supreme Court justices on a bigger bench hearing a suo motu case on Saturday escalated the political conflict between the PTI and the PML-N, with the former accusing the latter of targeting the judiciary in an effort to “run away from elections.”
Imran Khan, chairman of the PTI, and Maryam Nawaz, senior vice president of the PML-N, got into a Twitter argument over the ruling party’s worries that the two highest court judges were “biassed.”
The two judges’ participation in the hearing of the suo motu notice issued by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial earlier this week regarding an alleged delay in holding elections in Punjab has drawn criticism from the PML-N.
Imran, who was removed from his position as prime minister by a no-confidence vote in April of last year, wrote: “Shameless [and] calculated attacks on SC judges by the PDM and [spoiled] brat Maryam, nurtured on corruption money, have one purpose only — to run away from elections even by violating the Constitution.
By assaulting the SC, “they [the current leadership] are undermining the federation and [ensuring] that the law of the jungle prevails in Pakistan,” the ousted prime continued.
Maryam, the PML-N chief organizer, responded to his posts on Twitter in a similar manner.
“How the powerful have fallen! Your squeals are appropriate given that you have long reigned as the king of conspiracies, living off of them with the assistance of others.
Watch out for the [spoiled] brat’s checkmate… The PML-N senior vice president continued as she threw down the gauntlet to Imran, “Godsons and pawns like you are doomed to oblivion.”
She said, “You are the first-ever PM to be guilty of all sorts of corruption. Your chor daku [thief and bandit] narrative has not only fallen flat on its face but from being caught red-handed taking £190 million, to the Toshakhana theft, to signing paperwork for five-carat diamond ring.
Regarding Imran’s claims, Maryam asserted that his avoidance of justice and “begging for adjournments” amounted to a “glaring admission” of his guilt.
“The plastered leg won’t help you any longer. Maryam urged Imran to “man up and face the law” in her letter.
Speaking via video link from his Zaman Park Lahore residence, the PTI chairman again urged the CJP to protect the fundamental rights of the citizens after an employee of the Punjab Education Department was allegedly detained and tortured by police and unidentified people.
The PTI chief reiterated that the dignity of all citizens was a fundamental right protected under Article 14 of the Constitution.
However, he added that the current rulers had “openly violated” the Constitution, appealing to the CJP to take suo motu notice of the matter.
The former premier was accompanied by PTI Sialkot President Usman Dar and a BPS-4 official of the Punjab Education Department, Javed Ali, who was allegedly picked up and tortured.
He asked Ali to tell the nation the “agony” he had suffered while allegedly being held in the custody of the police and law enforcement agencies.
Narrating the details of his ordeal, Ali maintained that he was called to a place for receiving his salary following which he was abducted by the police in a private vehicle.
“I was blindfolded, stripped and badly tortured by the police and some unidentified people. I was even hanged upside down. Bricks were hanged with my private parts just to obtain a statement against Usman Dar from me,” he claimed.
“When I refused to give a false statement [against Dar] even after such severe torture, they threatened me that they would bring my wife, strip her naked and release her video on the social media,” he added.
Ali continued that his “captors” brought his family to the place where he was being tortured.
“Then I caved in and said what they wanted,” he said.
Reacting over Ali’s statement, the PTI chief appealed to the CJP to take suo motu notice of the incident and order an investigation into the matter.
He maintained that the people only had hope in the CJP and the superior judiciary.
Imran said custodial torture was not allowed anywhere in the world, but claimed that what was happening in Pakistan was its “worst form” for “blackmailing, threatening and weakening the opponents”.
“What happened with [PTI leaders] Shahbaz Gill and Azam Swati is not hidden from anyone. How they were tortured and humiliated to weaken the PTI [is in front of everyone],” he added.
The PTI chairman said Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz were playing audio clips of the judges to blackmail them.
“When I reacted over the judge’s decision in Shahbaz Gill’s case, I was served a contempt notice,” he said
“However, no one bothered to take notice of Shahbaz Gill’s custodial torture because those who were involved in this illegal practice considered themselves above the law,” he added.
Imran maintained that he had never witnessed such occurrences in the history of the country.
“Citizens are abducted and tortured but nobody is there to give them justice. All this is happening in the country since the appointment of ‘Dirty Harry’,” he added.
Commenting on the formation of a new joint investigation team (JIT) to probe into the Wazirabad attack on his convoy, the PTI chief alleged that the government had appointed all those officers who had attempted to destroy forensic evidence in the case.
Imran also censured the chief election commissioner for constituting a “controversial” interim government in Punjab.
