Copyright brecorder
ISLAMABAD: The jailed former Imran Khan on Wednesday sharply criticized National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq for the delay in notifying his opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate, calling it “an intentional stall tactic.” In a statement posted on X, Khan demanded the immediate issuance of notifications for his nominees, Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Raja Nasir Abbas, urging there be no further hold up. He also touted ‘massive turnouts’ at PTI rallies in Charsadda, Khyber, and Karak, claiming they reflected a rising wave of public activism and a growing determination to protect citizens’ rights. In a broader political appeal, Khan urged his party to “ramp up” efforts for “real independence,” reinforcing alliances with the Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Aain-e-Pakistan (TTAP) – a six-party bloc pushing for constitutional safeguards. Khan turned up the heat on authorities, accusing them of violating his family’s and legal party’s rights by barring access despite clear Islamabad High Court orders. “This is contempt of court,” he declared, noting that hearings in what he described as “frivolous cases” against him were nearing conclusion, with whispers of solitary confinement. He instructed PTI lawyers to file contempt petitions against those flouting the court’s orders and demanded the Al-Qadir Trust case be heard urgently. On provincial matters, Khan told Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to form a streamlined, needs-based cabinet, affirming that ministerial appointments were entirely Afridi’s prerogative. Dismissing internal party rumours, Khan reiterated his support for Ahmad Chattha and Bilal Ejaz, calling them loyal associates who had made “immense sacrifices.” “No orders for their removal,” he said, squashing reports of a party divide. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
