The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday decided to indict Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on September 22 after he failed to submit an unconditional apology in contempt of court proceedings against him for passing controversial remarks against Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry.
“Imran Khan’s response was unsatisfactory”. said IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, who is heading a five-member bench — comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangir, and Justice Babar Sattar — that heard the case.
Justice Athar Minallah observed that Khan’s replies to the court’s show-cause notice appeared to be “Justifying contempt of the judiciary” and showed “No remorse or regret”.
Justice Minallah went on to ask why the judges of the lower courts were considered different to those of higher courts. “You are justifying contempt of court which means that you have no remorse or regret,” the judge observed.
Expressing his disappointment in the response given by Khan to the court, which was the second of its kind, the court asked: “Even after the court’s input on the matter, this is the response submitted?”
“It seems you want to fight this case […] and you have no realisation that the case against you is extremely seriously,” noted Justice Minallah.
Declaring subordinate judiciary a ‘red line’, IHC CJ Minallah warned the PTI chairman that threatening a district judge is a more serious offence than a Supreme Court justice.
Before appearing for the hearing, the PTI chairman told journalists that he would become “more dangerous” if the government decides to send him behind bars.
“They have been trying to [put me in jail for long now]. I will be more dangerous if they send me to jail,” Khan said to media, confidently smiling ahead of the hearing.
Hours before the proceeding, Khan filed a new plea at the high court. He argued that the high court cannot exercise suo moto jurisdiction as per the Constitution. The arguments on the inadmissibility of the contempt case should be kept on record.
“The written arguments will also be explained in the oral arguments during the course of the proceedings,” read the plea.
A day earlier to the proceedings, Khan submitted a fresh response to the contempt of court case, in which in he expressed deep regret for his words.
