LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz on Monday alleged that a ‘new judicial establishment’ has come forward to rescue PTI chief Imran Khan, who is facing multiple cases across the country.

“After Imran Khan’s long march (on Islamabad), Jail Bharo Tehreek, and other tactics failed, a new judicial establishment has come forward to his rescue,” the PML-N senior vice president said while addressing a workers’ convention at the PML-N office in Model Town in connection with May Day.

She alleged the PTI was keen to go into snap polls because it wanted to contest elections in the presence of the CJP and other judges. “The PTI knows if they (judges) are gone (retired) it may not win the elections,” she alleged.

CJP Umar Ata Bandial is retiring this September.

PML-N leader says PTI keen to contest elections before retirement of CJP

Ms Nawaz said PTI chief Imran Khan dissolved the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies knowing that his “facilitators” were present in the Supreme Court.

The PML-N leader said Imran Khan was a big hurdle in the way of the progress of the country and claimed that it was not just Imran Khan but an “entire gang” led by him responsible for the ills faced by Pakistan. “This gang includes the retired army officials and former and sitting judges as its members,” the PML-N leader alleged.

She was also very critical of former chief justice Saqib Nisar, lambasting him for the ouster of Nawaz Sharif from the office of the prime minister. She also targeted the family members of a top judge and Mr Nisar in light of their purported audio leaks.

The PML-N leader justified spying on individuals if their conversation was “related to the country’s fate”. “Nobody has the right to tap anyone’s private conversation but a discussion in which the country’s fate is decided does not qualify as a private conversation,” she claimed.

Referring to the audio clip purportedly featuring a relative of the top judge and wife of a PTI lawyer, Ms Nawaz said, “They were not discussing the recipe for ‘gajar ka halwa’ (carrot sweet dish) but talking about a conspiracy to bring Imran Khan back to power.”

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In a comment on a tiff between parliament and the Supreme Court, Ms Nawaz said parliament would emerge supreme and the apex court would have to accept the decisions made by the institution.

“You (SC) will have to accept the decisions of the parliament as it is a supreme body,” the PML-N leader said. She was critical of a three-bench of the apex court that suspended the implementation of the legislation made by the parliament to clip the suo motu powers of the chief justice. She said the parliament had made laws for the betterment of the country and SC judges would have to accept them.

Speaking about the alleged apprehensions of foreign countries about the PTI chairman, she claimed, “Wherever Shehbaz Sharif goes (abroad), the people there ask him if Imran Khan was returning to power.”

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2023