A court in Pakistan has a show-cause notice to Imran Khan, a former prime minister of the country, and summoned him in his personal capacity on August 31 in contempt of court proceedings against him.
The notice was issued by a three-member bench of Islamabad High Court (IHC), headed by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and also comprising Justice Babar Sattar and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, reports Dawn.
IHC took the action on Tuesday against Imran Khan, also the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, on grounds of contempt, following a recent speech in which he threatened police officers and a judge. The judge, Zeba Chaudhry, had approved the remand of his chief of staff Shahbaz Gill in a sedition case.
The IHC had constituted the bench on Monday, after the decision to start contempt proceedings against the PTI chief was taken by Acting IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq during the hearing of a petition challenging Gill’s police remand.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Islamabad Advocate General Jahangir Khan Jadoon informed the court that he had filed a miscellaneous application seeking permission to put Imran’s controversial statements against state institutions on record.
The court asked him when Imran made the “objectionable remarks”, to which Jadoon responded that the PTI chief had made the comments during a rally in Islamabad’s F-9 park on Saturday.
“Imran Khan said, ‘Zeba sahiba, you should be ashamed, we will take action against you too’,” the advocate general quoted the ex-prime minister as saying.
He said that Imran was repeatedly making controversial statements about the judiciary and the Election Commission of Pakistan, and was obstructing justice.
When asked which case the remarks were linked to, Jadoon said they were in connection with a case registered against Gill.
“Imran Khan is constantly making statements against institutions. Any party should now be restrained from making statements against institutions. Imran Khan tried to destroy the public’s trust in the judiciary,” the advocate general argued.
At one point, Justice Kayani questioned how someone could pass remarks in a case that was under adjudication. Then, addressing the advocate general, he added: “This matter does not concern you. It is between the court and Imran Khan.”
“An attempt was made to disrespect our judiciary. If this environment has to be created then no work will get done in the country. How will things run if courts, which are the hope of the people, abandon their work?” Justice Kayani said.
He further remarked, “If a court’s decision is not in favour of anyone, will they start giving statements against the court? Do they want people to do justice as they deem fit?”
The judge questioned how a former prime minister could issue such statements. He regretted that a controversial statement was made regarding a female judge and that she was named.
The court then asked the advocate general whether Imran should be issued a notice or a show-cause notice. The advocate general replied that a show-cause notice should be issued.
During the hearing, Justice Kayani said that some people thought they could get away with saying whatever they want. He questioned how the country could run if state institutions stopped functioning.
“Certain people have crippled the state,” he remarked.
Subsequently, the court issued Imran a show-cause notice and sent the case to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial for the constitution of a bench comprising more than three judges.