RAWALPINDI – Commenting on the Supreme Court (SC) verdict stripping the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of its electoral symbol of bat days before the general elections, the former ruling party’s founder Imran Khan said on Monday that an “umpire gave a no-ball”.
Talking to journalists at Adiala Jail, Khan said he was imprisoned under the “London Plan”, adding that attempts were made to eliminate the PTI under a covert agreement.
In the past, Khan had repeatedly claimed that an “agreement” was signed in London that outlined he would be put behind the bars, his party would be crushed and a clean chit would be given to Nawaz Sharif.
Firing a fresh salvo at Sharif, the incarcerated PTI founder said the PML-N former chief always played matches with umpires of his choice, adding: “The day before yesterday, an umpire gave a no-ball.”
Talking about execution of the alleged plot, the deposed premier said that “all the cases against Sharif have been ended.”
The PML-N supremo, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had obtained bulletproof vehicles from the ToshaKhana, Khan said, adding that nobody was ready to hold them accountable for it. He ruled out any electoral alliance with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Speaking on the occasion, Khan predicted: “Something very bad is going to happen to them.” He demanded that an open trial of the cipher case should be conducted so that people know the facts. “They ask me why did I not keep the cipher secret.”
On the other hand, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said his party’s candidates would contest the upcoming elections as “independent candidates”.
During an informal discussion with journalists in the same court, the PTI leader, while referring to the SC verdict, said: “The entire nation saw what sort of a level playing field the PTI received.”
He said that his daughter’s nomination papers were snatched when she went for scrutiny. She was compelled to leave her native city, Qureshi added.
“We accept the court’s verdict. History will certainly write its judgement on the SC’s verdict [on PTI election symbol]”.
To a query, Qureshi said the PTI founder’s sole demand was free and fair elections in the country. He said that the ECP raised questions over the PTI intra-party elections but the electoral watchdog kept silent when it comes to the intra-party elections of other political parties.
