LAHORE:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday asked public to took to streets this weekend to express solidarity with Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial amid ongoing conflict between judiciary and parliament over holding of snap elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In a video message ahead of his appearance in the Islamabad High Court in nine cases, the former premier asked people to come out of their houses for one hour on May 6 to foil the “mafias” designs against the top judge, adding that such elements were sparking divide among Supreme Court’s judges.

Lashing out at the ruling coalition, he said it was running away from elections and for this it was going against the Constitution of Pakistan and the CJP. “They are scared of elections as they have triggered unemployment and inflation in country,” he said.

“Come out of their houses for the sake of your children’s future, country and to tell chief justice that nation is standing by you,” he urged the masses. The defiant politician, who was ousted from the PM’s office through a no-confidence vote in April last, said the PTI would hold rallies in Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar on Saturday to “save constitution, the country and Supreme Court”.

Talking about his appearance before the IHC, the PTI chief said he was travelling to Islamabad despite swelling in his foot because “I respect the courts and I am unlike them who propagate against judiciary after undesired decisions”. He recalled that two attempts were made at his life – first one in Wazirabad and another outside the judicial complex in Islamabad on March 18.