LAHORE, Aug 1: PPP Secretary-General Sardar Latif Khosa has said his party is ready to provide legal aid to PTI chairman Imran Khan in the contempt case.

“Issuance of contempt notice to Imran Khan is tantamount to silencing parliamentarians. To criticise court decisions is the right of every public representative,” Mr Khosa said at a press conference here on Thursday.

He said the PPP supported a resolution of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, demanding presidential reference against Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, Justice Jawad S. Khwaja and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed for their alleged violation of the Constitution in their judgment on the election of the president.

He said even a civil judge did not give a verdict without hearing both parties to a case.

The former governor said the 18-month extension to the CJP could not be granted as an amendment was required in the constitution for the purpose.

He said Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim should now tell the people of the country who had pressured the Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure the victory of the PML-N. He said other members on the ECP should also resign.

Mr Khosa criticised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for “gifting” important posts like that of president of the country and Punjab governor to his favourites. “Mr Sharif is trying to impose dictatorship on the people but his dream of becoming Amirul Momineen will not materialise,” he said.