LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf senior leader and former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser says Lahore is reeling under martial law.

Speaking to the media on Sunday during his visit to Lahore, he said the powers that be had unleashed violence on the party leaders and workers, trampling their basic human rights.

“I am going back to Islamabad and I will tell the National Assembly how rigging was committed in Punjab and hapless workers and their family members were being tortured,” he said.

Referring to the federal law minister’s hint at amending the law for increasing the tenure of the chief justice of Pakistan, the former National Assembly Speaker said, “It would be a disaster”.

Says extension to CJP’s tenure would be a disaster

“This ‘fake-mandate government’ has no authority to amend laws that would affect the working of institutions,” Mr Qaiser asserted.

The PTI leader demanded the rulers “let the state institutions function independently”. The PTI-backed MNAs would not let such legislation pass in the parliament, he declared.

Referring to the Tehreek-i-Tahafaz-i-Aaien Pakistan (Pakistan Constitution Protection Movement), he said the PTI and its allies wanted the country to function under the Constitution.

“But the way the country is being run, it can neither ensure peace and rule of law nor investment,” Mr Qaiser said.

He visited the residence of PTI Central Punjab president Dr Yasmin Rashid and met her husband advocate Rashid Nabi Malik and son.

Meanwhile, the PTI Lahore has announced to launch a peaceful protest movement for the release of Imran Khan.

PTI Lahore president Chaudhry Asghar Gujjar urged the party workers to turn their mobile lights on while standing on their rooftops at 10pm on May 8.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2024