PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf secretary general, Salman Akram Raja, on Friday requested the ‘decision-makers’ to sit with them in order to end the ongoing political crisis in the country.

“Please take heed of the situation. We are well wishers of the Pakistan. We are well wisher of Pakistan’s success and happiness,” he said while speaking at a press conference.

“Pakistan could not achieve the desired goals by setting us aside,” he said, adding let us sit together to eliminate the ‘chaos, lawlessness and cruelty’ to move forward.

He condemned the recent court judgements, convicting the PTI leader in the May 9 cases, saying these verdicts were alarming for the entire country.

Salman Raja says 26th amendment paralysed judiciary

He alleged that courts were being used as a tool of barbarism, silencing voices of dissent and for doing away with the democratic and constitutional rights.

The nation should be aware that on what grounds the PTI leaderships including leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Umar Ayub, leader of the opposition in Senate Shibli Faraz, Ahmad Bhachar, and others were awarded 10 years imprisonments, he said.

“These court decisions are aimed at scaring the Pakistani nation and impressing upon the people that there was no way forward,” he said. However, he said that the Pakistani nation could not be scared through such tactics as it now wanted ‘haqiqi azadi’ (real independence) and democracy in Pakistan. “The nation no more wants to live in environment of fear,” he said.

He said it was ridiculous that the courts in different cities had awarded punishment to the PTI leaderships on the so-called testimonies of the two police constables. Such evidence has already declared by a court in Sargodha as lies with the observation that no wise person will accept such ridiculous testimonies, he said, adding everyone knew what happened to that judge after such remarks.

He said that PTI would definitely approach the higher courts against the decisions of awarding punishments to the PTI leadership.

He said that the 26th constitutional amendment was instrumental in paralysing the judiciary and recent conviction of PTI leaders was the actual goal behind it.

The second purpose of the 26th constitutional amendments was to control the judiciary through the administration and decision-makers which is evident from the recent decisions, he alleged.

He said that PTI would fight for the supremacy of the rule of law and the Constitution as the PTI was a movement for the law, adding “we will fight this battle in the court of masses and inside those buildings where the words courts have been written on their walls.”

“We will see either we will get justice in these courts or not. We will not run away, no matter if they put us behind the bars,” he said.

Responding to a question regarding the 5th August protest, he said that they were facing war like situation as an extensive crackdown had been launched against the PTI leaders and workers by demolishing their houses and raids. The law enforcement agencies were registering fake FIRs against the PTI leaders and workers.

Meanwhile, Peshawar High Court granted protective bail to Akram Salman Raja till Aug 19 and stopped law enforcing agencies from arresting him.

A bench consisting of Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal directed Mr Raja to approach the relevant courts by the said date.

Moreover, a single member bench of Justice Mian Abdul Fayyaz also granted transit bail to Mr Raja in a case registered in Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2025