The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday 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 case.
The verdict garnered opposing reactions from both the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The elated supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) poured into the streets soon after the Supreme Court’s verdict.
Ex-special assistant to the prime minister on youth affairs Usman Dar called on the party supporters to take to the streets to express solidarity and gratitude to the top court.
“All Pakistanis, wherever they are, should come out to express solidarity and gratitude to the Supreme Court in their respective areas,” the PTI leader tweeted.
PTI leader Imran Ismail was also overjoyed at the SC’s verdict. “Imran Khan released by Supreme Court. Pakistan zindabad,” he wrote on the popular microblogging site.
Pakistani actress Mishi Khan thanked the top court and Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial for giving a “fair and right verdict”.
Imran Khan’s ex-wife, Jemima Goldsmith, also celebrated the SC’s decision.
Taking to Twitter, Goldsmith wrote: “Finally sense has prevailed.”
The PML-N on the other hand took exception to the “double standards of justice” after the Supreme Court declared PTI Chairman Imran’s Khan arrest two days ago “unlawful”.
PML-N leader Khawaja Asif addressed a press conference in Islamabad, highlighting the “double standards of justice”.
He began by recalling that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and several other party leaders and workers were arrested in the past.
“But why were they not treated in this kind manner by the court? Is this good treatment reserved only for Imran Khan on a selective basis?” he asked. “They never thought of […] keeping us in a rest house. Why are there double standards in this country?”
In this connection, the defence minister also referred to a video of Imran released prior to his arrest.
“In his video message published prior to his arrest […] did Imran not incite and preach violence in it?
“And what was the result of that violence?”
The PML-N leader accused PTI protesters of attacking martyrs’ graves and military installations. “Those graves were defaced and the army’s installations and corps commander’s residence in Lahore were attacked.”
He asserted that the court should have taken suo motu notice of these matters.
“But no suo motu was taken and the judiciary was not concerned. However, an individual (Imran) has been respectfully transferred to a rest house.
“The Supreme Court has ensured that he is provided all facilities and allowed to meet 10 people [at the guest house].
“My only question is: why these double standards?”
In this respect, he also referred to audio clips allegedly featuring PTI leaders during the protests.
“You all saw and heard […] what PTI leaders were telling their supporters and the language they used and how they burned [properties].
“Was it not an attack on national security? Was it not enmity towards the country? Shouldn’t this be taken notice of? Did it not move the court?”
Prior to Asif and the SC ruling on Imran’s arrest, one of the defence minister’s peers from the PML-N Marriyum Aurangzeb also addressed a press conference in Islamabad, expressing similar views as him.
She began by speaking about the protests, alleging that “a few hundred armed protesters and terrorists have been attacking” the country and state properties.
She maintained that these groups were “installed” at specific spots as part of a plan and that they were “launched soon after the news of the arrest”.
To lend strength to her claim, she referred to audio clips purportedly featuring the voices of PTI leaders instigating party workers to attack properties.
“You all saw how PTI leaders incited violence and gave orders for attacks on Imran Khan’s directives,” she alleged.
Moreover, she cited the IHC order, stressing that Imran’s arrest was carried out in a legal manner.
“But the impression of the Supreme Court giving relief to a criminal, terrorist, and a gangster leading armed groups — it amounts to backing a terrorist,” she decried.
She further said several PML-N leaders faced arrests and raids in the past but no one raised any question. “Because all of this was done in support of the ladla (a favourite child)” who disrespected the SC.
Directly addressing the chief justice of Pakistan, she said, “Had this love affair ended back then, then chief justice sahib, the court would not have been disrespected the way it is being today.
“The court is disrespected when they become shelters for criminals, terrorists and armed groups. The courts, Constitution and justice are disrespected then. The courts are disrespected when their decisions support criminals.”
She contended that if the court would back “terrorists” and “armed groups” that “set my country on fire, then all others deserve this relief as well”.
Aurangzeb further warned that if an individual standing against “the people of Pakistan, policemen … and army officers — who pick up weapons for the sake of the country, state and nation — is given relief, then this country would burn”.
She added, “It has been running on the media, on social media, that a man has held the country hostage for the past three days … he is inciting violence … and you are asking how could he be arrested?
“You are taking up the matter of his arrest but not his corruption case.”
Aurangzeb questioned when Nawaz and his family were held accountable, why couldn’t Imran.
“What is this love affair and favouritism?”
She said the court should let Imran be answerable to the National Accountability Bureau — in whose custody Imran was remanded in the Al Qadir Trust case — instead of summoning him.
“This is the perception that results in the disrespect of courts and positions.”
