Hamid Mir Criticizes PML-N Over Reaction to Judicial Relief for Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD:Senior journalist and political analyst Hamid Mir has strongly criticized the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over its reaction to the judicial relief granted to PTI founder Imran Khan.
In his latest column, Mir said history in Pakistan often repeats itself and questioned why PML-N leaders were concerned about the court’s decision in Khan’s case.

Mir reminded PML-N leaders of the legal proceedings faced by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case. He questioned whether Nawaz Sharif had not also been sentenced to seven years in prison, and whether courts had subsequently ordered his transfer from prison to a hospital.

He further recalled that courts had allowed Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad for medical treatment on the basis of medical reports, asking whether there had previously been a similar precedent for a convicted prisoner being allowed to travel to London for treatment.

Without naming PML-N Senator Nasir Butt, Mir also criticized remarks attributed to him and advised against searching for conspiracies behind judicial decisions.

Mir said politicians should not consider every judge to be like former judge Arshad Malik, adding that statements of this nature could push the PML-N into a deeper political crisis.

He recalled that in 2019, few people could have imagined that Nawaz Sharif, despite being convicted, would eventually leave prison and have his sentence overturned.

Mir argued that if such a development could happen in Nawaz Sharif’s case, a similar outcome could also be possible for another political leader.

He concluded by observing that political and legal developments in Pakistan can change unexpectedly, saying that “this is Pakistan, dear — anything can happen at any time.”