Protests against Pakistan’s top judge as ex-PM Khan back in court

AFP | Islamabad

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com    

Several thousand pro-government protesters demanded yesterday the resignation of Pakistan’s top judge for releasing Imran Khan from arrest last week, as the former prime minister went back to court facing yet more legal cases.

Khan, who was ousted from power in April last year, was arrested on corruption charges on Tuesday following months of simmering political crisis, prompting his voters to rampage through cities.

His arrest was declared unlawful by the Supreme Court’s chief justice and Khan was later released and granted various protective bail applications.

“The chief justice and a few of his cronies are disgracing the judiciary like never before. Their justice seems to be serving one leader only,” said Malik Hassam Mehmood, a 36-year-old trader and supporter of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s party.

“We are here to protest for the rule of law and a non-partisan judiciary.”

There was a heavy security presence in the capital yesterday as protesters gathered outside the court in the capital’s so-called red zone.

The Supreme Court order said Khan’s arrest last week as he arrived at the Islamabad High Court to file a bail application in the graft case “violated the petitioner’s right of access to justice”.