IHC verdict: PTI’s political rivals cry ‘favouritism’

Shehbaz Sharif says Imran’s sentence merely suspended, not overturned

ISLAMABAD:

In swift response to the Islamabad High Court's (IHC) suspension of PTI chief Imran Khan's sentence in the Toshakhana case, his political rivals wasted no time expressing their disapproval. They criticized the decision as biased and regretted its potential impact on the nation's history.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) voiced dissatisfaction with the verdict, suggesting that Imran Khan's sentence had been suspended, not overturned. Party president Shehbaz Sharif drew attention to the contrasting treatment of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who had a monitoring judge overseeing his punishment. Shehbaz criticized the chief justice's role as a monitoring judge, implying favoritism.

لاڈلے کی سزا معطل ہوئی ہے ختم نہیں ہوئی۔ چیف جسٹس کا "گُڈ ٹو سی یو" اور "وشنگ یو گڈ لک" کا پیغام اسلاآباد ہائی کورٹ تک پہنچ گیا۔ فیصلہ آنے سے پہلے ہی سب کو پتہ ہو کہ فیصلہ کیا ہوگا تو یہ نظام عدل کے لئے لمحہ فکریہ ہونا چاہیے ۔ اعلی عدلیہ سے واضح پیغام مل جائے تو ماتحت عدالت یہ نہ…

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 29, 2023

Shehbaz emphasized that such actions erode justice and questioned the fairness of the law when some individuals receive preferential treatment, leaving ordinary citizens without justice. He also highlighted the need for clear messages from the higher judiciary to guide lower courts, expressing concern about predictable outcomes.

Despite the suspension of his Toshakhana case sentence, Imran Khan remains in jail for the ongoing hearings in the cipher case. A special court under the Official Secrets Act has directed Attock Jail authorities to keep him in "judicial lockup" and produce him for the cipher case hearings.

Former law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar clarified that the suspension of the sentence does not equate to the end of Imran's disqualification.

He explained that the release means Imran could go free in this case, unless implicated or detained in another case. Tarar emphasized that suspension only implies freedom from punishment in this specific case, with no bearing on disqualification or dishonesty declarations.

Also read: IHC suspends Imran's sentence in Toshakhana case, orders release

Tarar refrained from further comments, awaiting the detailed verdict's release, but mentioned the potential for challenging the suspension.

PDM spokesperson Hafiz Hamdullah questioned Bushra Bibi's alleged involvement in the verdict, claiming meetings with an important figure from an Islamic country.

He raised doubts about the purpose of these meetings, accusing the former first lady of seeking an 'NRO' from a friendly Islamic country and suggesting Imran's desire to go abroad. The JUI-F spokesperson, Aslam Ghauri, also criticized the verdict, highlighting disparities between treatment of the elite and ordinary citizens.

He asserted that Imran Khan violated the constitution and decried the judiciary's decision to release what he labeled a terrorist. Ghauri condemned the perceived double standards, calling the decision a stain on the nation's history.

Ghauri further asserted that Imran's desire to leave the country would not be realized and labeled him a terrorist, prompting the nation's everlasting condemnation.