IHC rejects Imran Khan's reply in contempt case, to indict on Sept 22
Pakistan
IHC rejects Imran Khan's reply in contempt case, to indict on Sept 22
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday rejected the reply of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan submitted in contempt of court case.
A five-member bench, comprising IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri and Justice Babar Sattar, took up the contempt case against the former PM.
Pronouncing the verdict, the IHC stated that PTI chairman Imran Khan will be indicted in contempt case on September 22. During the proceedings, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that Imran Khan’s response to the court’s show-cause notice seemingly justified contempt of the judiciary as the submitted answers showed “no remorse or regret”.
Imran Khan appeared before the IHC earlier today pertaining to a contempt case filed against him for allegedly making threatening remarks about Additional Sessions Judge, Islamabad, Zeba Chaudhry.
On Wednesday, the former premier submitted a second reply to IHC after the court termed his first response "unsatisfactory."
Hours before a five-judge larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) was to resume hearing of a contempt of court case against former prime minister Imran Khan, the PTI chairman on Thursday morning filed a miscellaneous application before the court seeking permission to submit written arguments in the case.
In his fresh plea, Imran Khan argued that the high court cannot exercise suo moto jurisdiction as per the Constitution. The arguments for the inadmissibility of the contempt case should be kept on record.
"The written arguments will also be explained during the course of the proceedings," the plea read.
IHC in its previous hearing on Aug 31 gave PTI Chairman another chance to submit a "well-considered" response in the contempt proceedings initiated against him for his controversial remarks about Judge Zeba Chaudhry.
The PTI Chairman, Imran Khan, on Wednesday, submitted a supplementary reply in the contempt of court case against him.
The former prime minister, in his reply, expressed deep regrets over his unintentional utterances and said that he could not think of speaking anything against the judiciary.
He further said that his words were not meant to hurt the feelings of Judge Zeba Chaudhry. "The utterances were never meant to interfere with or in any way influence the course of the administration of justice," he said.
The former premier further said that he had great regard for the lower judiciary and that he supported women’s rights in Pakistan.
Imran Khan said that he was "not aware" that the matter was sub-judice when he made the comment and added that he was moved by the visuals of Shahbaz Gill gasping for breath. However, he urged the court to discharge him from the case under the Islamic principles of forgiveness and restraint.
