Maryam slams CJP over Imran's release, suggests he should 'join PTI'

PML-N vice president accuses chief justice of being responsible for the attacks on crucial and sensitive institutions

LAHORE:

Senior vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz has strongly criticised Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial over the release of Imran Khan, suggesting that the chief justice should resign from his position and join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

In a scathing critique on Twitter, Maryam claimed that the chief justice seemed exceedingly pleased with meeting an individual accused of embezzling Rs 60 billion from the national treasury, and was even more delighted in releasing this alleged criminal.

Maryam went on to accuse the chief justice of being responsible for the attacks on crucial and sensitive institutions in the country. Referring to the PTI chief, she argued that the top judge had become a shield for this miscreant and was adding further fuel to the fire in the country.

Also read SC declares Imran Khan’s arrest illegal, orders his immediate release

She suggested that the chief Justice Bandial should step down from his position and, like his mother-in-law, join the PTI.

Maryam’s comments come hours after the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s arrest as illegal, and ordered his immediate release in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case.

The PTI chief had challenged his arrest in the apex court after the Islamabad High Court had earlier declared it legal.

The former premier was arrested on May 9 by the paramilitary Rangers force on orders from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) from the Islamabad High Court (IHC), over allegations of having looted Rs50 billion along with a property tycoon from the national treasury and getting the Al-Qadir University Trust registered on 450-kanal of land.

Hours after Imran's arrest, the IHC declared that his arrest from the court's premises was carried out legally, while the PTI alleged political persecution.

A day later, an anti-graft court granted NAB an eight-day physical remand of the PTI chief.

The government had backed the arrest as legal, dismissing allegations of foul play.

Read more Govt censures Supreme Court for providing 'relief' to Imran

Earlier on Thursday, Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also censured the Supreme Court for providing relief to the PTI chairman.

"The SC is giving relief to a criminal, a terrorist, a gangster who leads armed groups," said Marriyum Aurangzeb, lamenting that "after the arrest, terrorists and armed groups attacked state and public property in the country".

She maintained that the PTI leadership has "incited armed groups to violence", and at another point stressed that "the leader of these armed groups is the terrorist".

"Corps Commander's house was burnt, patients were taken out of ambulances and ambulances were set ablaze, mosques were targeted by arsonists, metro stations were burnt, policemen were attacked, their vehicles set on fire," she said.

"Had this terrorist been punished earlier, the country would not be burning today," she added.

"If courts support armed groups, encourage them, then similar relief should be given to all people," said Marriyum.

She also said that "contempt of court could have been avoided" had the courts upheld justice when political leaders including Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Sanaullah, Salman Shehbaz, Hamza Shehbaz, Miftah Ismail and others were "dragged and thrown in jails".

"Real contempt of court happens when the country's courts become shelters for armed groups and terrorists," she added.