PTI rejects govt’s JIT on judicial criticism

Denounces initiative as a systematic effort to target citizens

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rebuffed the formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT), labeling it as an endeavor to address vague objectives aimed at rectifying judicial criticisms.

The party staunchly condemns this move, viewing it as a systematic effort to target citizens and infringe upon their fundamental constitutional rights of expression and communication.

On Tuesday, the interim federal government appointed a six-member JIT tasked with scrutinising the prevailing malicious social media campaign against the Supreme Court judges.

The JIT is mandated to furnish a preliminary report to the Ministry of Interior within a span of 15 days. Notably, the body will be helmed by the additional director general of the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing and will comprise Grade-20 officers from the Intelligence Bureau and Inter-Services Intelligence, the deputy inspector general of police from Islamabad, as well as a Grade-20 officer from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.

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In response to the interim government's move, a PTI spokesperson underscored that the Constitution and the democratic framework unequivocally safeguard citizens' fundamental rights to expression, communication, and constructive critique.

He emphasised that every citizen possesses the inherent right to scrutinise state actions, governmental decisions, and even court rulings, provided it is done with good intentions.

Decrying the caretaker government as unconstitutional and illegal, the spokesperson lamented the erosion of basic rights in the country over the last 22 months, attributing it to severe censorship in mainstream and social media.

The party alleged that the government's motive behind the JIT formation is to shield unjust judicial decisions from public scrutiny, thereby fostering an environment conducive to undermining the Constitution and democracy.

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The spokesperson went on to assert that efforts are underway to empower those who have posed threats to judges, attacked the judiciary through rallies, and disrespected judges in public forums

Criticising the chief justice for what is perceived as an unjust decision impacting nearly 100 million Pakistanis, the spokesperson urged the prioritisation of constitutional supremacy over the infringement of citizens' basic rights.

Undeterred by the “deployment of force and extra-constitutional tactics”, the party affirmed the nation's steadfast commitment to demanding its fundamental rights from the state.

Furthermore, the spokesperson proposed that if the JIT is genuinely committed to curbing harassment against the judiciary, it should direct its efforts towards actionable measures against individuals like PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, party’s Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz, and ANP’s Aimal Wali Khan, rather than subjecting citizens to “undue scrutiny”.|