Web Desk (LTN NEWS): International attention has been drawn to Pakistan’s constantly changing political scene ever since the country’s former prime minister said he was forced out of office by a US-backed plot. Now, a famous British singer-songwriter and Muslim icon has come out in support of his long-time friend Imran Khan.
Yusuf Islam, who used to be known as Cat Stevens but changed his name to Yusuf Islam in 1977, questioned the judiciary in tweets on Tuesday about the sedition case, which could be against Shahbaz Gill, a close aide of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan, and a ban on airing live speeches by Mr. Khan.
“What’s happening in #Pakistan? Do judges still have a say are they being muffled? Their voices are vital to the health of a nation. Telling the truth is not sedition: using the law as a political stick to beat down lawful criticism is the work of rogues, not the work of judges,” Mr. Islam tweeted.
He said that the floods that have destroyed over 60,000 homes and washed away roads and bridges in Pakistan should be the “number one priority” right now. “This is what the army and government should be focused on,” he said. “They shouldn’t try to stop politicians from talking about possible policies that hurt human rights in public.”
Even though he didn’t name Mr. Khan in his tweets, Mr. Stevens seems to have known Mr. Khan for years. In the mid-1990s, the singer helped raise money for the Shaukat Khanum hospital. She was also mentioned in the former prime minister’s book “Pakistan: A Personal History.”
His comments come at a time when the government agency in charge of TV has banned live broadcasts of the PTI leader’s speeches. This is because Mr. Khan criticized state institutions at a public event on August 20 to show support for his chief of staff, Shahbaz Gill.
