ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court announced on Thursday that it will indict Pakistani President Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on September 22 in a contempt of court case for threatening a female judge at a public rally.
The verdict was delivered by a five-member HC bench headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah. The court last month issued a show cause notice to Khan following his warning to the district and additional session judge Zeba Chaudhry at a rally in Islamabad on August 20 to prepare for the aftermath. Chaudhry had approved the police
remand of his special assistant, Shahbaz Gill, who is being held for sedition.
Wednesday, Imran had filed a second response in court after the first, presented at the previous hearing, had been described as “unsatisfactory”.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice observed that Imran Khan’s responses to the court’s show cause notice appeared to “justify” the contempt of the judiciary and showed “no remorse or regret”. At the last hearing, Judge Minallah had asked Khan to submit another “good-
considered” respond within seven days to the notice of cause, otherwise the court will do what it wants.
In his first response, the PTI chief did not apologize but offered to retract his remarks if they were inappropriate. In his final response, Khan asked the court to overturn the notice based on his explanation and to follow Islamic principles of forgiveness.
In both responses, the PTI President did not issue an unconditional apology. Expressing disappointment with Khan’s additional response, a 19-page document, the court asked, “Even after the court’s opinion on the matter, is this the response you submitted?”
The court order said charges against the former prime minister will be made on September 22 at 2:30 p.m. “The respondent’s learned counsel explained to us the additional response filed by the respondent and argued that it was an explanation of the speech in respect of which contempt proceedings were brought,” he said. he declares. “We are not satisfied that the respondent has purged himself of the wrongdoing alleged against him and for which the show cause notice was issued,” the HC order reads.
Once the court took a five-minute recess after reserving its verdict, Khan stood up and asked the court if he could speak. To this, the Chief Justice said the court had heard his lawyers and there was no need for him to speak.
Shortly after the verdict was announced, Khan told reporters in a casual chat outside the courtroom that he had wanted to speak during the proceedings but was not allowed. to do it.
The verdict was delivered by a five-member HC bench headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah. The court last month issued a show cause notice to Khan following his warning to the district and additional session judge Zeba Chaudhry at a rally in Islamabad on August 20 to prepare for the aftermath. Chaudhry had approved the police
remand of his special assistant, Shahbaz Gill, who is being held for sedition.
Wednesday, Imran had filed a second response in court after the first, presented at the previous hearing, had been described as “unsatisfactory”.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice observed that Imran Khan’s responses to the court’s show cause notice appeared to “justify” the contempt of the judiciary and showed “no remorse or regret”. At the last hearing, Judge Minallah had asked Khan to submit another “good-
considered” respond within seven days to the notice of cause, otherwise the court will do what it wants.
In his first response, the PTI chief did not apologize but offered to retract his remarks if they were inappropriate. In his final response, Khan asked the court to overturn the notice based on his explanation and to follow Islamic principles of forgiveness.
In both responses, the PTI President did not issue an unconditional apology. Expressing disappointment with Khan’s additional response, a 19-page document, the court asked, “Even after the court’s opinion on the matter, is this the response you submitted?”
The court order said charges against the former prime minister will be made on September 22 at 2:30 p.m. “The respondent’s learned counsel explained to us the additional response filed by the respondent and argued that it was an explanation of the speech in respect of which contempt proceedings were brought,” he said. he declares. “We are not satisfied that the respondent has purged himself of the wrongdoing alleged against him and for which the show cause notice was issued,” the HC order reads.
Once the court took a five-minute recess after reserving its verdict, Khan stood up and asked the court if he could speak. To this, the Chief Justice said the court had heard his lawyers and there was no need for him to speak.
Shortly after the verdict was announced, Khan told reporters in a casual chat outside the courtroom that he had wanted to speak during the proceedings but was not allowed. to do it.
