Bilawal Bhutto asks Imran Khan's PTI: Are you a terrorist organisation or political party?

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday likened the former Pakistan premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf to a terrorist organisation. Speaking during the joint session of Pakistan's Parliament, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari told the PTI that it was the "last chance” for Imran Khan's party to decide whether it is a political party or a terrorist organisation. Pakistan's foreign minister accused the former prime minister of the anarchy, vandalism, and violence that ensued on the streets of Pakistan following the PTI chief’s arrest on May 9.

“How can Imran Khan talk about the rule of law when he himself is urging his followers to do such things,” the PPP chairman was quoted as saying by the Islamabad newspaper Dawn. 

وزیر خارجہ بلاول بھٹو زرداری کا نو مئی کے واقعات کے حوالے سے پارلیمان کے مشترکہ اجلاس میں اظہار خیال

دفاعی تنصیبات پر حملے افسوس ناک ہیں

پیپلز پارٹی نے ہمیشہ ملک کی خاطر اور جمہوریت کی بحالی اور مضبوطی کے لیے کوشش کی ہے

ہم سمجھتے ہیں جمہوریت بہترین انتقام ہے

صدر آصف علی… pic.twitter.com/fUZdY1e6bj

— National Assembly 🇵🇰 (@NAofPakistan) May 15, 2023

At the cabinet meeting, the Pakistan parliamentarians demanded that PTI Chairman Imran Khan must be tried under the Army Act for provoking the supporters to attack the residences of the armed forces. Pakistan's National Assembly also unanimously adopted a motion to form a special committee to file a reference against Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial in the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) for his "misconduct and deviating from the oath," according to Geo News. The motion was brought by the Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Dr Shazia Sobia. During the session, Pakistani lawmakers strongly condemned the attack that unfolded on the Lahore Corps Commander Jinnah House, Radio Pakistan's Peshawar office, and other prominent buildings by the supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

National Assembly passes the resolution condemning the recent incidents of vandalism, destruction and burning of infrastructure that have taken place across the country.

The resolution has been presented by MNA Ms. Wajiha Qamar.@WajihaQmr #NASession pic.twitter.com/ubxH72oTwG

— National Assembly 🇵🇰 (@NAofPakistan) May 15, 2023

Supreme Court's relief to Khan was 'political support': Pakistan's Defence Minister

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif asserted that the Pakistan Parliament must play a constitutional role and bring the perpetrators to justice. He was quoted saying that in the country's judiciary's 75-year history, for the first time, the CJP is supporting a political party. He noted that Supreme Court's relief to Khan was a "political support" and that such cases have no constitutional value. "The time has come for the Parliament to send a reference of misconduct to the Supreme Judicial Council, under the authority and law given to it by the Constitution," Asif was reported saying by the Pakistan-based paper.

Amid a strange tussle between the defence, Pakistan's government, and the judiciary ensuing in the neighbouring country, the PML-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz has demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial must resign. "Fee and fair elections are not possible until Umar Ata Bandial remains the country’s top judge," she stated. Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chief Maulana Fazl-ur Rehman maintained that the political party would not accept the “engineered verdicts” given by the courts at any cost.