Imran Khan challenges govt to file Article 6 reference against him

LAHORE: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has challenged the government to file a reference under Article 6 of the Constitution – pertaining to treason – against him, ARY News reported.

“I say it before everyone. Impose Article 6 on me. At least this way, I would be able to tell everything about the foreign conspiracy,” the former premier said while addressing the last public rally in PP-170 constituency of Lahore before the Punjab by-elections.

Imran Khan asked the government to file a reference against him under Article 6 of the Constitution as it would provide him the chance to tell everything about the ‘foreign conspiracy’ resulting in his ouster from power.

The PTI Chairman noted that a judge of the top court has suggested his trial along with others including President Arif Alvi under Article 6. “I say it before everyone. Impose Article 6 on me. At least this way, I would be able to tell how they [rulers] were imposed on Pakistan,” he added.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s detailed verdict on the then NA deputy speaker Qasim Suri’s ruling, Imran Khan said the SC established that there was no conspiracy but questioned how it could say this without any probe.

“The apex court has not probed the threatening letter yet despite President Arif Alvi sent a letter to the chief justice of Pakistan regarding it,” he added.

The by-elections on the 20 Punjab Assembly seats, vacated after the PTI MPAs voted for Hamza Shehbaz in the CM elections, will be conducted on July 17, 2022.

The results of the by-polls would be essential for the CM vote count, ordered by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, in the Punjab Assembly in July 2022.

PML-N needs to win a total of 9 seats in the by-elections to gain a majority to elect their Chief Minister in the biggest province of the country.