Pakistan: Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party urges SC to dissolve Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 8 : A senior leader of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) filed a constitutional petition at the Supreme Court on Thursday urging it to dissolve the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), according to The Express Tribune.

Awn Chaudhry, the petitioner, claimed that PTI chairman Imran Khan was involved in attacks on state institutions, the judiciary, the military and its installations, and violated basic human rights and the Constitution.

The petition made Imran Khan and the party president as respondents. Moreover, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and the ministries of law and interior and others were also made respondents in the case, reported The Express Tribune.

"The acts of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, its Chairman, office-bearers, their hate speeches attacking the judiciary, defence, burning and looting public assets, etc are totally unconstitutional...," stated the petition.

Further, the petition mentioned the events of May 9 saying that the PTI supporters hatched a conspiracy against the state institutions, burning the Corps Commander's house and looting state properties all over the country.

The petitioner also added that the PTI chief and his party destroyed the fabric of the society by attacking the institutions and making hate speeches against the integrity and dignity of the country and its institutions, reported The Express Tribune.

Chaudhry added that the concept of democracy and a parliamentary form of government had been incorporated in the Election Act, but the PTI violated that concept and the Act.

"It is imperative that in terms of Article 212 of the Election Act, 2017, Tehreek-e- Insaf (Respondent No.4) should be dissolved as this party has been formed and is operating in a manner which is prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan," the petition said, according to The Express Tribune.

The petition also had an attached copy of a letter written by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif to Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial pertaining to Imran Khan's "shocking statements containing serious allegations levelled against senior most officials of the Armed Forces."