EXPRESS TRIBUNE : Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan vowed on Thursday that not only
will he appear in person before the Supreme Court after being summoned
for contempt of court, he said that he will stand by his stance, even if
it meant he is sentenced and disqualified from being elected into the
assemblies.
Speaking on
Express News show
Kal Tak on Thursday,
hours after being issued the notice by the Supreme Court to explain
comments he made that derided the judicial body, Imran said he was only
seeking justice as a citizen of Pakistan.
“I consider this [contempt notice] a joke that a Pakistani citizen
who is asking for justice from the Supreme Court is being given a
contempt notice, who has struggled for restoration of the judiciary,
participated in long marches for the independence of judiciary.”
The PTI chief asked that didn’t a citizen of Pakistan have the right
to seek justice from the Supreme Court over the alleged rigging during
the May 11, 2013 elections.
“If this is contempt, then I do not think they know the meaning of contempt.”
Asked that if the court convicted him of contempt of court and
sentenced him, would he accept the sentence or term it a conspiracy to
disqualify him, Imran said he was ready for the punishment and would
maintain his stance till the end.
“Under no circumstance will I apologise. I have committed no mistake.
I am fighting the fight for democracy in Pakistan, and if they send me
to jail for contempt, I am ready to go to jail.”
Imran said he felt being wronged by the court.
“I think the Supreme Court is wrong in summoning me in contempt of court.”
However, Imran vowed that he will appear before the court. “We talk of rule of law so I will appear in person.”
Asked if he was disqualified from the assemblies as a result of a sentence handed down by the court, Imran said, ”
Let them disqualify me, I am ready for that.”
Earlier, an official announcement form Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaaf
(PTI) confirmed that their party chief Imran Khan will appear in person
before the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday.
Imran, who was issued a notice on Thursday, will
appear before a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar
Muhammad Chaudhry on Friday, and will be accompanied by lawyer Hamid
Khan and senior party leaders of party. The court has also directed
Attorney General Muneer Malik to assist in the matter.
CEC’s resignation
Asked about the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner
Justice (retd) Fahruddin G Ebrahim, Imran said that other members the
Election Commission should also resign after the alleged rigging in the
May 11 elections.
“In a country where all parties said rigging has taken place in the elections, then principally they must resign.”
The PTI chief further claimed that the former CEC had little to no control over the election commission.
“Ebrahim had nothing in his hand. All the other members were
politically appointed. His stand on the presidential election was also
overruled.”
Imran added that they had petitioned the Supreme Court to conduct
thumb impression verification of votes in four constituencies. If the
verification did not take place, he said that his party will protest by
coming onto the streets.
“That is the right of a democratic party to demand free and fair elections.”
Drones
Asked about drones, Imran said that drones were not acceptable since
it provided fuel for the militants to act against the state.
“Drones, for any self-respecting country, is not acceptable.”
He referred to the recent incident on Nanga Parbat and pointed to the
reason claimed by militants. “They said it was in reaction to the drone
strike on Waliur Rehman.”
The PTI chief, who has pushed for talks with militants, said that
they had more of a chance to stop militants if they disengaged with US’
War on Terror.
More Details and Latest News @ TRIBUNE.COM.PK
