Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Saturday called upon Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi to ensure the delivery of justice, cautioning that a failure to uphold the Constitution could plunge the nation into darkness.
During a press conference held with senior PTI leader Shibli Faraz, Gohar expressed profound disappointment regarding the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on reserved seats, asserting that “injustice today is worse than it was in the 1990s.”
The decision, rendered by a seven-judge majority, effectively overturns the July 12, 2024, majority judgment by eight judges that had affirmed PTI’s eligibility for reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the assemblies. By this new seven-judge majority ruling, the court has set aside the previous July 12, 2024, decision that granted PTI the right to these reserved seats.
He implored the judiciary to rectify what he described as a blatant disregard for the party’s electoral mandate. “Don’t carry your hatred for PTI to such extremes — it will negatively impact the entire country,” he stated, emphasizing that PTI members had legally joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and that the party had submitted all necessary documentation to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) within the stipulated timeframe.
Gohar maintained that despite 86 PTI-backed candidates being officially notified, the ECP controversially allocated reserved seats intended for SIC to other political parties, alleging that the entire process was manipulated and unconstitutional. “We had every reason to believe that we would receive our rightful share. Those seats were unjustly taken from us and handed to mandate thieves,” he asserted.
He further criticized the Supreme Court’s decision not to constitute a full bench to review the reserved seats case, arguing that a full court hearing would have provided a fairer resolution to the issue. He added that “The 26th Constitutional Amendment case should have been heard first.”
‘Accountability Awaits: Here and Before God’
Meanwhile, Senator Faraz condemned the “systematic suppression” of PTI during the recent elections. He highlighted various grievances, including the snatching of the party’s electoral symbol, harassment of candidates, and the unprecedented cancellation of Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, despite their conduct in other provinces. “Elections were delayed until the establishment believed PTI was finished,” he remarked.
Faraz underscored that in the current digital age, everything is being recorded. “Some will be held accountable here, and others before God,” he declared, emphasizing eventual accountability.
He issued a stark warning about the deteriorating conditions in the country, citing escalating inflation, a lack of investment, and growing insecurity. “There is no plan for development, no strategy to end reliance on loans. The people’s purchasing power has dropped by 58%,” he stated grimly.
He concluded his remarks by asserting that the sole beacon of hope for the nation was the individual currently held in jail, a clear reference to PTI founder Imran Khan.
