At a press conference with PTI Core Committee member Abuzar Salman Niazi, PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said most Supreme Court judges agree that the Election Commission wrongly interpreted the court’s ruling, unfairly taking away PTI’s ‘bat’ symbol and confirming PTI’s right to those seats.
Mr. Hasan said PTI is not allowed to hold public meetings but announced a planned gathering on July 6 at Tarnol, warning the government would be responsible for any issues that arise.
He referred to the US House resolution and a UN report, stating that while the government sees these as an infringement on sovereignty, democratic forces see them as essential for human rights.
Fawad called on the party to move against the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), accusing them of election rigging and causing lawlessness.
Mr. Hasan said PTI supports these developments as they reflect the Pakistani people’s desire for democracy, free speech, voting rights, and fair elections. He added that PTI would use all legal means to secure Imran Khan’s release.
Abuzar Salman Niazi noted Pakistan’s obligation to uphold human rights as a signatory to international agreements and criticized the government for violating these laws. He also mentioned reports of a ‘doctrine of necessity’ and the CJP’s bias towards the electoral body. Niazi pointed out the inconsistency in case priorities, where the ‘bat’ symbol case was heard quickly, but other important cases were delayed.
In a video message, former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry urged the party to file a complaint against the CJP and CEC for their role in election rigging. He said if PTI doesn’t file the complaint, it means the leadership wants to keep Imran Khan in jail. He insisted that state functionaries, not the military, are oppressing the PTI.