Imran Khan Criticizes Judiciary-Centric Constitutional Amendments

Rawalpindi — Imran Khan, the jailed founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), strongly criticized the government’s proposed judiciary-focused constitutional amendments, claiming they aim to keep him imprisoned. Speaking informally with journalists at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on Monday, Khan alleged that the ruling coalition is planning amendments to undermine the judiciary and cement their grip on power.

Khan expressed deep concerns about the potential changes, warning, “New amendments would destroy the country’s future.” He further accused the government of trying to dismantle the judiciary, stating, “They have decided to destroy the judiciary.”

When asked about the proposal to establish a separate constitutional court, Khan suggested that the government is afraid of the Supreme Court. “The current rulers are scared of the Supreme Court, so they want to create a [separate] constitutional court,” he remarked.

The former prime minister, who has consistently accused the government of electoral malpractice, reiterated his stance that the federal government is trying to cover up election fraud. Khan’s PTI has long maintained that the February 8 general elections were rigged, and he claimed that their electoral victory was “snatched” through manipulation of Form-47 results.

“They fear everything will be reversed if the truth about the elections is exposed,” Khan said, announcing that his party will not remain silent and will actively protest the coalition’s moves.

The ruling and opposition parties have been locked in a fierce debate over a proposed constitutional amendment bill that could include extending the tenure of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, who is set to retire in October, as well as the retirement age of judges. However, the government faces the challenge of securing a two-thirds majority in parliament to pass any constitutional amendments successfully.