PTI Stages Strong Protest Outside Supreme Court: Junaid Akbar Questions, “Will the Country Run by the Constitution or the Baton?”

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday staged a strong protest outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan, condemning the alleged defiance of judicial orders and calling for the supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law.

Speaking to the media, PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President **Junaid Akbar Khan** said the judiciary had been “held hostage” since April 9, 2022, and further weakened through the 26th Constitutional Amendment. He lashed out at authorities for allegedly denying Chief Minister Sohaib Afridi permission to meet PTI founder **Imran Khan**, despite clear court orders. “Even a jail superintendent or constable dares to defy the judiciary — this is an insult to the honorable judges,” he said. “Tell us, will Pakistan be governed by the Constitution or by force?”

Expressing full solidarity with the judiciary, Akbar said, “PTI stands like a rock with every judge who wishes to deliver justice.” He urged judges to inform the public if they were under pressure, assuring that lawyers and citizens would unite to defend constitutional supremacy.

Referring to the pending cases of Imran Khan, including the **Al-Qadir Trust case**, Akbar alleged deliberate delays. “Everyone knows that the day justice prevails in Pakistan, Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, and all innocent prisoners will be released,” he added.

The PTI leader clarified that the protest was **peaceful and within constitutional rights**, emphasizing that no roads were blocked. “Our protest is to show solidarity with the judiciary and remind them that if they stand by the Constitution, the entire nation will stand by them,” he said.

Rejecting criticism for protesting in Islamabad instead of focusing on provincial governance, Akbar argued, “Without the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution, development in any province is meaningless.” He also accused federal authorities of “reviving terrorism” in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through decisions made “behind closed doors.”