Former prime minister Imran Khan has challenged the invoking of Article 245, under which the army can be called in to aid the civil administration, in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Islamabad, calling it “undeclared martial law”.

In his petition, the PTI chief said the arrests, investigations and trial of citizens under the Army Act 1952 were “unconstitutional and void and of no legal effect and amounts to negation of the Constitution, rule of law and independence of the judiciary.

He also pointed out that the “dismantling of PTI through forcible quitting of party membership and office are unconstitutional and void being against Article 17 of the Constitution”.

The ex-PM also urged the top court to order the formation of a judicial commission to probe the events of May 9 and 10.

The plea named Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, ex-president Asif Ali Zardari, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and other as respondents.