Imran has imposed 'civilian martial law', declares Shehbaz

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif Monday criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan for what de declared was the imposition of a "civilian martial law" in the country, terming the move "thoroughly unconstitutional".

Addressing a press conference, flanked by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) MP Asad Mehmood, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) leader Akhtar Mengal, he said Khan, along with his party members, has challenged and violated the Constitution of Pakistan.

"April 3 will be remembered as a black day in the history of Pakistan," he said, adding that Khan imposed a so-called civilian martial law, recalling former strongman Gen. Pervez Musharraf also took a similar measure on November 3, 2007.

He termed the four-year tenure of the PTI-led government a period of "an individual government, totalitarian and fascist" in nature.

On March 24, former speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser granted leave to the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, according to the will of the House.

Recalling Sunday's ruling of the deputy speaker regarding the no-confidence motion, he asked: "If Qasim Suri termed the motion as 'unconstitutional', why wasn't it raised earlier?"

"PTI used Article 5 to prevent themselves from the embarrassment that they would have faced after their defeat in case of voting on the no-confidence motion," Sharif said.

Regarding the "foreign threat letter" controversy, the former leader of the opposition in the National Assembly said that Pakistan's Ambassador in Washington Asad Majeed Khan hosted a farewell dinner on March 16 and invited some US officials, including those who were accused by Khan."

Moreover, he added that, in his tweet, the ambassador thanked Donald Lu for good relations and cooperation.

"If the letter was dated March 7 and highlighted the involvement of Donald Lu, why was the ambassador acknowledging the US official during the dinner on March 16," he highlighted, questioning why Lu was invited for the dinner if had in fact threatened Pakistan.

The PML-N leader said if they had received the "foreign letter" on March 7, then "why did they not highlight this issue earlier?"

"According to the speech given by the former NA deputy speaker, all Opposition leaders became traitors," he said, adding that yesterday's NA proceedings made a joke of the Constitution of Pakistan, laws and Parliament.

Regarding former information minister Fawad Chaudhry's claims about challenging the speaker's ruling, Sharif said: "It is right that no one can challenge the proceedings of the House but the Constitution was blatantly violated, does it have any protection?"

He said that the matter is in the Supreme Court and hence, "I will not talk much about it."

To a question, Sharif refused to become part of any consultation for an interim setup including an interim prime minister and said they await a decision from the apex court against "subversion" of the Constitution.

He said he would not become part of the consultation for the interim prime minister. "The president has subverted the Constitution and now we await a decision against it from Supreme Court," he said.

"Sunday [April 3] was the darkest day in the history of Pakistan," Mahmood said, adding that Khan is trying to pressurise the institutions.

He said they [the joint Opposition] will not accept international pressure being imposed under the garb of a "threat letter".

He suggested the higher courts of Pakistan hold Khan accountable for his statements regarding the credibility of judges.