Pakistan court intervenes as Imran Khan's party leaders denied nomination papers for upcoming general elections

File Photo/AFP

In response to allegations that candidates of ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan's party were unfairly denied nomination papers, a Pakistani court has mandated a level playing field for all political parties in the upcoming February 8 general elections.

Lahore High Court Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza directed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to ensure complete freedom of speech for all political leaders in the media.

Hearing a petition of Imran Khan against the ban on his name and speeches on TV channels, Justice Mirza directed the PEMRA to "ensure a level playing field for all political parties in broadcasting their content and speeches."

The judge also made some interesting observations during the hearing, asking whether PEMRA is behind the ban on Khan's name and statements on TV channels or if it is the work of the 'Agriculture Department' (commonly used to describe the military establishment here).

"Everyone knows what sort of elections are going to be held," the judge said.

On Wednesday, PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub wrote on X that "reports coming in from across Pakistan and especially Punjab of actions and threats against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates, their proposers and seconders. Nomination papers are being snatched from the hands of the people taking the nomination papers by uniformed police officers. Homes were being invaded by the police without warrants, women and children harassed."

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Ayub said that the PTI candidates in jail are not being granted access to sign their nomination forms.

"On being told that it is their constitutional right, the jail authorities simply shrug and say that they have orders from 'above'. We need a clear definition of 'above'. We can only assume that the Chief Executive of the country is the Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and that he is ordering these illegal actions through the caretaker chief ministers. They will be held accountable for conducting massive pre-poll rigging," he said.

The PTI leader said it is the responsibility of the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure that these illegal and engineered pre-poll rigging actions against PTI candidates by the Police and District Administration are stopped immediately.

"No matter how much pressure is exerted on PTI's candidates and activists, we will continue to fight for democracy. The people of Pakistan will ensure PTI will win with a massive landslide victory. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan lives in the hearts of the people of Pakistan. Imran Khan has awakened the people of Pakistan," he said.

Another PTI leader and close aide to Imran Khan, Zulfi Bokhari, said: "In the past 48 hrs there has been a new wave of arrests and snatching of nomination papers from PTI candidates and workers. Is this what we are trying to sell as free and fair elections?"

Since the homecoming of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif in October from London where he spent four years in self-exile he has been receiving PM-designate protocol with the blessings of the military.

Besides, all his corruption cases in which he was convicted have been set aside after the Islamabad High Court has given him a clean chit.

The PTI alleges that under the 'London Plan' Nawaz Sharif will be made the Prime Minister following the February 8 polls with the blessing of the military establishment under Army Chief Gen Asim Munir and Imran Khan and his party will be crushed. (With inputs from PTI)