ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan’s erstwhile confidant and an active member of the newly formed Istekham-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) has approached the Supreme Court for the dissolution of his former political party, the PTI.

Muhammad Awn Saqlain, also known as Awn Chaudhry, through his counsel Khawaja Shamsul Islam, also pleaded before the SC to declare that hate speeches of the PTI chairman and other party office-bearers against institutions such as the judiciary and the armed forces, as well as the burning and looting of public assets, fall within the definition of unconstitutional acts.

These acts also violate different provisions of the Constitution, namely Articles 3 (elimination of exploitation), 4 (rights of individuals to be dealt with in accordance with the law), 5 (loyalty to the State and obedience to the Constitution), 6 (high treason), 9 (security of person), 14 (inviolability of the dignity of man), 15 (freedom of movement), 22 (safeguards as to educational institutions in respect of religion, etc), 24 (protection of property rights), 29 (principles of policy), 39 (participation of people in the armed forces), and 40 (strengthening of bonds with the Muslim world and promoting international peace), among others.

Legal observers believe that a political party can only be dissolved when a reference is filed on behalf of the federal government to the SC, and not on the basis of an application moved by an individual.

Alleges Imran Khan, PTI leaders violated Constitution, attacked institutions

Mr Chaudhry explained that he was filing the petition in view of the alleged attack on the Constitution, as well as the fundamental rights, on behalf of

the PTI under the command of its chairman who has attacked the sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan from time to time.

The petitioner has named the federation of Pakistan, including secretaries of law, interior, cabinet, and defence, as respondents, in addition to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Mr Khan, the PTI, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the chief secretary of Punjab, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

The petition regretted that during the entire period when Mr Khan was the prime minister and even when he was in opposition, he blocked highways, held dharnas in front of the SC on Constitution Avenue, and launched attacks against institutions.

The petition also noted that the Chinese president had once cancelled his visit to Pakistan due to the 126-day sit-in in 2014.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2023