The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party frequently claims that it is being targeted by political vengeance to garner public sympathy. Despite these claims, the current judicial landscape suggests that the courts often prioritize relief for PTI and its leader, Imran Khan, through judicial activism. Investigating agencies frequently struggle to secure physical remand for inquiries and recoveries in corruption cases, while courts grant timely relief to PTI and its members.
Recently, the Peshawar High Court surprised many by granting a 21-day transit bail to Bilal Ijaz, an MNA from Gujranwala, raising questions about the reasoning behind such a decision. Additionally, the Interior Ministry, following an order from the Peshawar High Court, has removed PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai from the Exit Control List (ECL), allowing him more freedom of movement.
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Imran Khan has been pursuing legal avenues in various cases. After the Lahore High Court nullified his physical remand in 12 cases related to the May 9, 2023, violence, he sought bail from the Anti-Terrorism Court, arguing that the cases are acts of vengeance without substantive evidence.
Moreover, Justice Saman Rifat Imtiaz of the Islamabad High Court has ordered the recovery of PTI leader Dr. Shahbaz Gil’s brother within two days. The same judge has also addressed PTI’s contempt of court petition, removing objections and issuing notices to high-ranking officials, including the interior secretary and the chief commissioner, concerning a rally permit issue.
This pattern of expedited judicial relief for PTI leaders contrasts sharply with the thousands of pending cases in the country’s courts, raising concerns about the equitable administration of justice and whether high-profile political cases are receiving undue priority over ordinary citizens’ legal matters.
