Pakistan

Salman Ahmed wants SC to take suo motu on PML-N's 'lotacracy'

Writes letter to president saying 'forces of darkness' have been defeated but they have regrouped under PPP's Zardari

News Desk July 21, 2022

Renowned guitarist Salman Ahmad. PHOTO: FILE

Renowned guitarist and PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s focal person on culture Salman Ahmed, in a letter, has urged the President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi to use his office to apprise the Chief Justice of Supreme Court to immediately take suo motu notice on PML-N's "gangsterism and lotacracy".

Earlier in the day, former prime minister Imran Khan had accused the ruling coalition of luring its members of Punjab Assembly with money in a bid to win the election of leader of the house, scheduled for July 22.

“Today Lahore is seeing a repeat of the Sindh House horse-trading that happened in Islamabad with up to Rs50 crores being offered to buy MPAs,” Imran Khan wrote on his official Twitter handle on Wednesday.

He claimed that the main architect behind this was PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, who he said “gets NRO for his corruption and purchases people with looted wealth. He shd [should] be jailed.”

"I want to thank you for being the moral conscience of Pakistan during these very trying times that we as a nation are facing," Salman wrote in his letter to Dr Alvi.

After April 9, he said, illegal toppling of Imran Khan’s government following a foreign conspiracy aligned with local actors, the country has witnessed a virtual breakdown in the rule of law, dismantling of state institutions and a "martial law like tyranny and oppression".

"Yet the people of Pakistan still passionately believe in their constitutional right to vote. Millions have expressed themselves powerfully in the recently concluded 20-seat Punjab by-elections."

According to him, the forces of "darkness" have been defeated at the polls but they have again regrouped under former president Asif Ali Zardari.

"Zardari is busy buying people’s souls with his ill-gotten wealth. At least one PTI MPA has reportedly been given Rs40 crore & been smuggled to Turkey so as to avoid voting on July 22 in the Punjab assembly," he added.

He said that the angry public has surrounded MPA's home and is chanting slogans of “Lota, Lota”, saying that this anger may also lead to violence before July 22.

"Sir, in the larger interest of Pakistan’s democracy, in this powder keg moment, please use your voice to apprise the Supreme Court CJ to immediately take suo motu action against this gangsterism & lotacracy," he said.

"If the SC again refuses to respond, the onus of inflicting irreparable harm to our democracy will equally be shared by our weak & pliable judiciary & the establishment."

Salman urged the president to act now before "it's too late".