ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has denied hiring the services of a British lawyer, who represented controversial British-Indian writer Salman Rushdie, to represent party chief Imran Khan in international courts.
The PTI said in a statement that there was no truth in the reports about hiring a foreign law firm; no such initiative had been taken by the jailed PTI chairman.
A party spokesperson condemned the worst state oppression and fascism in the country. He said the PTI demanded rights and justice from Pakistan’s judiciary, adding that effective measures must be taken for supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law in the country.
PML-N leader Atta Tarar claimed at a press conference that the PTI chief had hired British lawyer Geoffrey Robertson to represent him in international courts.
He lashed out at Imran Khan for moving the international courts against Pakistan, adding that there were several other competent lawyers, but “you didn’t hire them, why?”
Later, Maryam Nawaz slammed the PTI chief for hiring a lawyer in Britain for the legal battle against "unlawful detention and human rights abuses" in Pakistan.
Calling the PTI chief’s move as double standards, she said Imran Khan had selected a person who remained a legal counsel for Salman Rushdie. She said the PTI chief had appealed for help from the anti-Islam lobby.
Amid all this blame game, journalist Maleeha Hashmey came hard on Maryam Nawaz for being “hypocritical”.
Hashmi claimed that the same lawyer had represented Ishaq Dar and another PML-N leader Nasir Butt. She asked if it was right when this lawyer fought the cases of people linked to the PML-N.