GUJAR KHAN: Violators of the Constitution should be tried for treason under Article 6 in the wake of the Supreme Court’s judgement that former prime minister Imran Khan had done so on April 3 by dissolving the National Assembly, PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz said in a speech at a rally in Kallar Syedan on Thursday.

“This matter should not be closed and treason cases be initiated so that nobody even thinks of violating the Constitution,” she observed.

Maryam Nawaz said the detailed SC verdict had exposed the “fake politics” of Imran Khan. “Imran is the only politician in the country’s history branded a liar and violator of the Constitution by the apex court.”

Imran Khan had even outdone dictators by “making a mockery” of the Constitution, Ms Nawaz added.

Recalling that an SC judge had said no evidence of foreign conspiracy was provided by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Maryam Nawaz said Imran Khan had lied to the nation about an “American conspiracy”.

She said the Supreme Court’s decision had exposed the “Sadiq and Ameen of (former Chief Justice) Saqib Nisar”, a reference to the ex-CJP’s observation in 2018 that Imran Khan was a truthful and honest person.

The PML-N leader took a swipe at the PTI chief for accusing the Punjab government of pre-poll rigging.

She said Imran Khan should thank his stars because he is free to hold rallies across the country while in opposition.

On the other hand, she recalled, Nawaz Sharif was put behind bars before the 2018 elections while she herself was jailed for “assisting my father”.

“This is pre-poll rigging indeed.”

Maryam Nawaz also criticised the former prime minister for keeping his two sons in London. She said banning the speeches of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz was pre-poll rigging.

“The PML-N candidates were pressured to return their tickets and disqualified, This is pre-poll rigging,” she said.

Maryam Nawaz said the Punjab government had shown “magnanimity” by allowing PTI leaders to carry on their election campaign without any restrictions, alleging that the Imran government had put severe curbs on PML-N leaders’ movement when it was in power. Ms Nawaz praised Raja Sagheer Ahmed, the PML-N candidate from PP-7, saying that he had scorned “offers of Rs 180 million to join PTI”.

Maryam Nawaz later addressed a rally at Khushab to bolster the candidature of her party’s nominee for by-election to PP83. a Punjab Assembly seat.

The seat fell vacant after Ghulam Rasool Singha’s disqualification under the defection clause.

Maryam urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to initiate proceedings against Imran Khan and his associates who “served as personal servants” of the former premier instead of working for the country.

The PML-N vice president claimed that difficult decisions had already been made and now only “good news” would come every day. Maryam said Shehbaz Sharif was determined to serve the nation and urged the people to vote for the PML-N candidate if they want an easing of inflation.

Sajjad Abbas Niazi in Sargodha also contributed to this report.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2022