ISLAMABAD: An accountability court in Islamabad ordered former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi on Thursday to refrain from speaking against state institutions – the Army establishment and the judiciary, while also asking the media to not highlight “political or inflammatory” statements made by the accused. The court said Imran issued provocative political statements that are “tantamount to obstruct judicial functions”, according to Dawn.
Judge Rana Nasir Javed, while disposing of a petition seeking a fair trial in the Al-Qadir Trust case where the couple is accused, barred the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and his wife from speaking against “institutions”, saying they not only “disrupt the judicial decorum but also tantamount to obstruct judicial functions such as the dispensation of justice”.
The judge also asked journalists to refrain from “publishing political and inflammatory narratives targeting state institutions and officials” and adhere to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (Pemra) guidelines, which prohibit discussing sub judice matters. Notably, Imran had taken several swipes at the establishment during his interactions with mediapersons in the courtroom.
The former prime minister asserted that premeditated rigging marred the by-polls in Punjab, accusing the Punjab Police of indulging in rigging. “Democracy hinges on the supremacy of law and the conduct of free and fair elections, yet what we witnessed was jungle law. The interference of the police in the Punjab by-elections is deeply concerning,” Imran said during a media interaction at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail.
He further said that the recent by-polls were conducted in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where the PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) is ruling, affirming that no instances of rigging transpired in the province. “There exists no semblance of democracy in the nation presently. The rigging was a pre-emptive move, driven by fear of the events that unfolded on February 8,” Imran added.
In a dramatic claim recently, Imran said his wife Bushra Bibi was served food laced with toilet cleaner that caused daily stomach irritation, according to media reports. In his remarks. Bushra Bibi, 49, is currently detained at their Bani Gala residence in Islamabad after getting convicted in a corruption case and another related to her illegal marriage.
Imran made the allegations during the hearing of a corruption case before an accountability court in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, reported the Express Tribune. The founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said a doctor had recommended conducting Bushra Bibi’s tests at Shifa International Hospital, but the jail administration remained adamant about conducting the test at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital.
