Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called out the country’s judiciary for defending Imran Khan and the PTI on Friday, saying that it had emerged as an “iron wall” against corruption cases involving Khan and his party.

His address to the federal cabinet on Friday was televised in a rare move and Shehbaz Sharif counted a number of instances where court rulings were granted in favour of the PTI in corruption cases, including the Peshawar BRT case and the Malam Jabba case.

The federal cabinet met at around noon and then again in the afternoon. Reports emerged that cabinet was pondering the option of imposing the emergency in the country, but Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb clarified that the proposal did not come up for discussion in the cabinet.

Referring to the PTI protests and the attacks against military buildings following Imran Khan’s arrest earlier this week, Shehbaz Sharif said that May 9 was the darkest day in Pakistan’s history after the fall of Dakka on December 16, 1971.

Shehbaz Sharif said that when the ‘judicial murder’ of Zulfikar Ali Butto happened people were angry and when Benazir Bhutto was martyred there was a strong reaction, but no one attacked military installations. Asif Zardari raised the slogan of ‘Pakistan Khappy’ (long live Pakistan in Sindhi) and there is not a most decisive proof of patriotism than this, he said.

The prime minister said Nawaz Sharif was disqualified on flimsy charges to that he could be kept out of the political process and elections.

The prime minister said that no one will be allowed to take the law into their hands. “Did the court ever take notice of Imran Khan’s false claims, but today when NAB made corruption cases against him, the judiciary has built an iron wall on it, there is no such example anywhere in the world,” said Shehbaz Sharif

He said Imran Khan was the mastermind and planner behind the attacks on military institutions. He termed it a disgrace to the martyred military personnel who sacrificed their lives for the motherland.

He questioned how the chief justice of Pakistan could tell an accused that he was pleased to see him.

CJP Bandial addressed Imran Khan on Thursday when the latter appeared before his court that he was pleased to see him. The exchange made headlines in the country.

The court subsequently ordered the release of Imran Khan and put him under court supervision so that he could approach the high court on Friday without being arrested in another case. The Islamabad High Court was hearing Khan’s petition in the Al Qadir Trust corruption case on Friday.

Shehbaz Sharif counted several cases where PMLN and PPP leaders were denied medical treatment in jails. These double standards have ruined the justice system, he said.

He said Imran Khan incurred every possible damage to the very fabric of society by promoting hatred and intolerance.

Cabinet labels the judiciary as partial

Sources said the federal cabinet on Friday declared the stance of the judiciary partial to one political party. It vowed to defend the Constitution and the law.

The coalition parties urged the prime minister to take a tough line on the issue.

The cabinet approved the PM’s proposal for the constitution of a special legal committee of legal experts.

With inputs from APP