Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachhar, the opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, has voiced his opposition to the appointment of retired high court judges as heads of election tribunals and has threatened to organize a series of protests against what he perceives as “victimization” of PTI activists.
Last week, the federal government promulgated an ordinance allowing the appointment of retired judges to fill vacant positions in election tribunals. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Mr. Bhachhar expressed concerns about the impartiality of such appointments, stating that it could undermine the neutrality of the institution, especially considering the sensitive nature of elections.
He questioned the government’s lack of trust in serving judges, suggesting that the ordinance was a result of this mistrust. Mr. Bhachhar alleged that the government feared collapse if election petitions were decided by impartial serving judges.
In addition to his objections to the appointment of retired judges, Mr. Bhachhar lamented what he described as PTI’s “victimization” of party workers. He claimed that PTI activists were being falsely charged and arrested wherever they gathered. In response, he threatened to initiate an anti-government movement, with the first protest planned outside the IGP Office in Lahore.
However, Mr. Bhachhar did not specify a date for the protest and urged district police officers not to comply with what he termed as “illegal” orders from the ruling party.
Accompanied by MPAs Sheikh Imtiaz, Farrukh Javed Moon, and legal adviser Abu Zar Suleman, Mr. Bhachhar also criticized the government’s treatment of PTI founder Imran Khan during his imprisonment. He claimed that Mr. Khan was only provided with a room cooler four days ago, despite being entitled to better facilities.
Furthermore, Mr. Bhachhar criticized the provincial government’s spending habits, alleging that a significant portion of the supplementary budget remained unutilized, with the little spending that occurred being directed towards what he deemed as “illegal” activities.
Lastly, he denounced the government’s decision to retract a significant reduction in petrol prices shortly after announcing it, labeling it as another example of the government’s erratic behavior.
