ISLAMABAD: PTI leader Barrister Gohar Khan has said the party’s founding chairman, Imran Khan, has “full faith in the judiciary and judges”, and he never expressed any lack of faith in judges, including Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, the PTI leader said a “misperception” was created regarding Mr Khan’s stance about the judiciary and judges on social media. He added that he held a special meeting with Mr Khan in the prison “to clear the dust once and for all on this issue”.

![](https://twitter.com/RaoofHasan/status/1743690404955041946

“Imran Khan has complete confidence in the judges, including the CJP Isa.”

The PTI chief, however, urged the chief justice to ensure enforcement of his order and remove all obstacles to holding free, fair, and transparent general elections on Feb 8.

PTI lambasts PML-N for giving ticket to Raja Riaz

Mr Gohar’s statement comes two days after Sher Afzal Marwat, a central party leader, expressed a “lack of faith” in the CJP and said that the party believes “it will not get justice as long as CJP Isa remains at his post”.

Mr Gohar also said in the future, any statement from Mr Khan would only be delivered through the party chairman and formally released by the PTI central media department.

He reiterated the demand for quick dispensation of justice and redressal of PTI concerns relating to the pending cases, especially the allotment of its electoral symbol, “bat”.

The PTI chief claimed that over 100 million voters would be disenfranchised if the PTI was deprived of its electoral symbol.

He urged the apex court to address the party’s reservations regarding the level playing field because “free and fair elections were the cornerstone of democracy”.

Ticket to Raja Riaz

Separately, a PTI spokesperson lambasted PML-N for awarding a ticket to Raja Riaz, accusing him of being the “main character in the act of toppling the government of former prime minister Imran Khan under the regime change conspiracy”.

Mr Riaz was part of the PTI but refused to tender his resignation when the party’s lawmakers resigned en masse from the National Assembly following the ouster of Mr Khan through a no-confidence motion in April 2022. Later, he was made the leader of the opposition during the PDM government.

The PTI spokesperson said the award of tickets to those who were “instrumental in the regime change conspiracy” was an open admission of guilt.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2024