ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar on Wednesday expressed grave concerns over what he described as a series of politically motivated verdicts, claiming that in just three days, PTI leaders received three separate sentences amounting to a total of 45 years in prison.
Addressing a press conference alongside other PTI leaders, Barrister Gohar warned that such decisions could “destroy democracy” in Pakistan. He alleged that the sentences against PTI founder’s wife were announced under pressure, calling it an attempt to target party leadership and weaken the opposition.
Referring to the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) verdict in Faisalabad earlier in the day, he noted that both the opposition leaders of the National Assembly and Senate were handed down prison terms.
He pointed out that PTI’s parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Zartaj Gul, was also among those convicted. Barrister Gohar urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of what he called “midnight trials,” saying that hearings lasting until 2 a.m. raised serious questions about judicial transparency.
“People look to the judiciary with hope, but now even that trust is fading,” he said, warning that unless corrective measures are taken, the system and democracy itself could collapse. He stressed that PTI remains committed to working with the state despite the mounting challenges.