Renowned British singer-songwriter and Muslim icon, Yusuf Islam, has spoken out in support of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister (PM), Imran Khan, and his close aide, Shahbaz Gill, who is facing sedition charges.
Formerly known as Cat Stevens, Yusuf Islam, who converted to Islam in 1977, questioned Pakistan’s judicial authorities in a series of tweets on Tuesday, which reportedly referred to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) ban on the airing of live speeches by the former premier and the sedition case against Gill.
He said,
What’s happening in Pakistan? Do judges still have a say or 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.
Continuing, Islam opined that the authorities should switch their attention to the floods that destroyed around 60,000 homes across the country, including roads and bridges.
He remarked, “Floods have wrecked over 60,000 homes across Pakistan, washing away roads and bridges. That is the number one priority at this time. This is what the army and government should be focused on – not gagging politicians for publicly exposing possible anti-human rights policies”.
Floods have wrecked over 60,000 homes across Pakistan, washing away roads and bridges. That is the number one priority at this time. This is what the army and government should be focussed on – not gagging politicians for publicly exposing possible anti-human rights policies.
— Yusuf / Cat Stevens (@YusufCatStevens) August 23, 2022
Even though he did not name Khan in his tweet, Islam is known to have a long association with the former premier, particularly since he attended the Shaukat Khanum Hospital campaigns in the mid-90s and was mentioned in Khan’s book ‘Pakistan: A Personal History’.
isko bhi Khan sahib nay bribary ke paisay bhaij diye hongay, hai to bunda 2No.
Youthia na ban