‘IHC judges’ letter’: PTI announces rally in support of judiciary on Sunday

RAWALPINDI: In line with the directions of the incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder, the former ruling party has announced holding a public rally for the independence of the judiciary and the release of Imran Khan on Sunday in Peshawar.

Talking to journalists following his meeting with "prisoner no 804" in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced: "The PTI is going to stage a rally for the freedom of judiciary on the directives issued by the founder of the PTI."

Earlier, the Jail authorities allowed 11 leaders and legal team members of the PTI to meet Imran Khan. These stalwarts included Barrister Gohar, Shoaib Shaheen, Sher Afzal Marwat, Faisal Javaid, Zartaj Gul, Amir Niazi, and others.

"We will soon write a letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan on the behalf of the founder of PTI, while Imran Khan in his message from the jail has expressed complete solidarity with the cause of the judiciary's freedom," Gohar said.

This development comes after six judges of the IHC — Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz — wrote to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to convene a judicial convention over the matter of the alleged interference of members of the executive, including operatives of intelligence agencies, in judicial affairs.

Speaking on the occasion, Marwat said a rally would be held in Peshawar at 2 PM on Sunday. "PTI invites all parties to participate in the rally."

He said on April 6, the PTI leadership and activists would fill up the Islamabad's Parade Ground. "Our gathering will be peaceful and out ultimate goal is to get Khan out of jail."

To a question, Marwat said the judges' letter to the Supreme Court talks about the pressure faced by them in rendering their professional duties.

Unleashing his anger at the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, PTI leader Latif Khosa said a convicted criminal was given a red-carpet protocol from London.

He added: "All cases of Nawaz Sharif and his family have been closed. All prominent figures of Pakistan have written letters regarding pressure faced by judges of high courts."

Earlier, Gohar also said that the government had allowed all the other vehicles to pass, but the PTI cars were stopped outside the prison, forcing them to walk one kilometre on foot to meet the party founder.

"We have informed the Jail Superintendent about the blockade of roads and also requested permission to take our documents along with us," Barrister Gohar said.