• Salman Akram Raja says his party is in no mood for talks with ‘powerless’ govt
• Vows to fully back suspended Punjab MPAs
LAHORE: Welcoming any move to ensure judicial independence in the country and restore the Constitution, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja questioned PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s ability to spearhead such a move.
“Only those with real control over the system and decision-making power can restore the Constitution and free the judiciary,” the PTI leader told a presser on Friday.
He said the PTI had held four meetings with the PML-N-led government in December and January and found that it did not have independent powers to even allow party leaders to meet PTI founder Imran Khan in jail.
In this situation, the PTI secretary general asked whether the PML-N government had any authority to visit [Imran Khan in] Adiala jail to discuss the restoration of the Constitution and freeing the judiciary. “If they have been given a mandate to go to Adiala jail to discuss and restore the Constitution and independence of judiciary, then we will see to it. Currently, it is a mere rumour,” the PTI leader added.
KP govt ‘not a weak point’
Mr Raja also rejected the impression that his party’s government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could be used as a leverage to keep the party away from street protests.
The provincial government was formed by the people of KP and anyone involved in dislodging it would be answerable to the people, he said, when asked about the opposition’s attempts to remove PTI from power in KP.
He said the PTI would always hold protests for the rights of people “who had given it the mandate” in the election. “Imran Khan has directed the party to stay resolute and protest against any atrocity without even thinking about any compromise,” he explained.
When asked about the change in the party’s protest strategy, Mr Raja said PTI “did not want to put people’s lives in danger, when oppressors were firing directly on people”.
“We will continue the protest movement but in a manner to save people’s lives,” he said and added the party and public would keep fighting against the stolen-mandate government.
Answering another question, Mr Raja said that he would try to meet the party’s senior leaders including vice-chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi at Kot Lakhpat jail.
Mr Raja also censured the Punjab government over the suspension of 26 PTI members of the Punjab Assembly.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan on Thursday filed a reference with the Election Commission against 26 PTI legislators over ‘unparliamentary conduct’ during the assembly’s session on June 27.
Earlier, the speaker had suspended the opposition lawmakers for disrupting Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Shari’s speech and causing chaos in the house.
Mr Raja said PTI “will fight against any injustice in courts, though without any hope for justice.
The party was “standing behind” the opposition leader and the 26 suspended MPAs.
Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar said the PTI lawmakers will “continue protesting against the fascist Form-47 government” and will not desist even if all assembly members were suspended.
“We will hold our ‘real MPAs’ session outside the assembly and never bow before this fake government,” he asserted.
Since the party MPAs have been given a mandate in the name of Imran Khan, Mr Bhachar said the party’s legal committee, led by Mr Raja, would fight against the speaker’s “illegitimate actions” and launch a counter-attack.
Latif Khosa quipped the PML-N had a “special affection” towards the figure 26 and explained that it passed the 26th Amendment in the Constitution, “fired on unarmed people” on Nov 26 and then suspended 26 MPAs. He said the courts and the Election Commission gave “ignominious decisions” in the case of reserved seats.
He said PTI would stage protests after Muharram against the “state’s fascism” in line with the instructions of Mr Khan.
Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025
