Imran slams govt over controversial Mines & Minerals Bill
ISLAMABAD: The incarcerated ex-premier Imran Khan on Thursday severely criticised the federal government over the controversial Mines and Minerals Bill, saying its progress would remain stalled until he is briefed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, allied parties and senior party leaders.
In a message posted to X, Khan stated unequivocally that 'the bill is going nowhere' unless he receives a detailed briefing regarding what he described as an attempt to 'bulldoze' the legislation through the KP provincial assembly.
Turning his attention to the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment, Khan said his party's warnings had been 'entirely justified,' claiming that Pakistan's justice system is 'utterly crippled.'
He alleged that not only is justice being denied, but it is being 'deliberately obstructed,' with legal cases involving him and his allies excluded from court listings.
'The Constitution and the rule of law are being trampled with impunity,' Khan declared, accusing authorities of treating judicial decisions 'with open contempt.' He warned that this 'institutionalised lawlessness' is deeply eroding investor confidence in the country.
The PTI founding chairman further said that he had instructed the party's legal team and parliamentarians to hold an urgent presser to highlight the legal and constitutional implications of the amendment.
He also directed PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja to dispatch a detailed letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, outlining alleged injustices faced by his family and legal counsel.
He urged Chief Justice Afridi to fulfil his constitutional responsibility as the 'guardian of the rule of law,' adding, 'If he remains silent in the face of such brazen illegality, who will be held accountable when the entire legal framework collapses.'
On the May 9, 2023, incident, which he described as a 'false flag operation,' Khan accused the authorities of using it to persecute PTI through 'politically motivated prosecutions.'
He claimed that critical CCTV footage that could exonerate his supporters has been either hidden or destroyed by those calling the shots in the country.
'Since day one, I have demanded that the footage be made public to expose the truth and hold the actual perpetrators accountable,' he added.
Khan also levelled accusations at the government for what he termed a 'systematic dismantling' of state institutions, adding the judiciary, the parliament, the police, and the agencies like the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) have all been stripped of credibility and functionality.
Expressing grave concern over the recent spike in terrorist attacks, the ex-prime minister said the PTI government had long warned of such threats and engaged diplomatically with the Afghan government.
He blamed the 'illegitimate PM Sharif regime' that succeeded him for ignoring these warnings and failing to take timely action.
He called for the KP government to be granted full authority to engage with Kabul, emphasising that the province continues to bear the brunt of terrorist violence.
'Every day, our brave police officers are martyred,' he said. 'Yet the media remains shockingly indifferent. This is not merely a provincial issue – it is a national emergency.'
The ex-prime minister also criticised the government's approach to Afghan refugees, branding it a 'disaster.' He once again directed the KP provincial assembly to pass a resolution and debate what he called an 'unlawful and inhumane' deportation campaign.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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