The Islamabad High Court issued a show-cause notice to PTI Chief Imran Khan summoning him on Aug 31 in personal capacity in the contempt proceedings against the latter for hurling threats at a female additional sessions judge on Tuesday, reported 24NewsHD Tv channel.
IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani directed the authorities to serve the court notice on Imran.
The court also issued a notice to the attorney general of Pakistan. The Pemra was also put on notice as the court sought Imran Khan’s speech record from the media regulator.
The three-judge larger bench of IHC headed by Justice Kiyani decided to form a new bench comprising more than three judges and Justice Kiyani sent a request in this regard to the Chief Justice.
The other two judges who heard the case today included Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb and Justice Babar Sattar.
During the hearing of the case, visibly vexed Justice Kiyani remarked that the judiciary was humiliated when such a contemptuous statement was made against a woman judge by calling her by the name.
A person who had remained the prime minister of the country, how he could give such a contemptuous statement, the judge said adding if a court gave a verdict against someone, would that person start making statements against the court?
“Do these people want that we should leave the courts and they will start doing self-justice,” the judge wondered.
Justice Kiyani observed that was it justified to make such statements in public rallies when the entire world was also watching it through media. He said so much was being said on social media, but nobody could do anything about it.
The judge asked the Islamabad advocate general why his government was not doing anything in this regard.
The AG said if the party leader was uttering such kind of statements, the low-tier leaders would also say the same.
Justice Kiyani remarked it was a serious matter. He said the lower courts would usually give the same verdicts as were given by the superior courts.
He deplored the threat issued to civil bureaucracy and inspector general of police by the former premier while declaring that some particular people had made the entire system hostage. He said that the court wanted to settle this matter once and for all.
The decision to initiate contempt proceedings against PTI Chief Imran was taken by Acting Chief Justice Aamir Farooq on Monday during the hearing of a PTI petition challenging the physical remand of its incarcerated leader Shahbaz Gill.
During his public rally on Saturday in Islamabad, Imran threatened to register cases against the Islamabad inspector general of police and deputy inspector general for allegedly subjecting Gill to physical torture during his detention. He also warned additional district and sessions judge Zeba Chaudhry, who had approved two-day physical remand of Imran’s chief of staff Shahbaz Gill’s on the request of the capital police, that she would also face dire consequences.
Islamabad AG submits miscellaneous petition
Meanwhile, the Islamabad advocate general submitted a miscellaneous petition to the Islamabad High Court in the contempt case against Imran Khan.
The petitioner stated that he wanted to bring the video clips of Imran Khan on record beseeching the court to allow him to bring these videos containing statements of PTI chief given to the electronic and digital media.
The petition pleaded that these videos if allowed to be run in the courtroom might prove helpful in deciding the case.
Reporter Ehtisham Kiyani