Islamabad, Aug 31 (PTI) A top Pakistani judge on Wednesday expressed his disappointment over former prime minister Imran Khan’s written response in a contempt case and ordered a second reply to be submitted within a week, days after his controversial remarks against a female sessions judge during a recent rally here.
At a rally in the federal capital on August 20, Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party warned additional district and sessions judge Zeba Chaudhry that she would also face dire consequences.
Chaudhry had approved the physical remand of Khan’s aide Shahbaz Gill on the request of the Islamabad Police.
On Wednesday, Khan appeared before the Islamabad High Court, where the Chief Justice Athar Minallah grilled him over his written response to the show cause, terming it as “insufficient and unbecoming” of a politician of his stature.
A five-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Minallah, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri and Justice Babar Sattar, heard the case on Wednesday.
“Time that has passed and words that have been said cannot be taken back,” Minallah told the former premier, who was also accompanied by his senior lawyer.
The judge went on to add that he was expecting that Khan would admit to making a mistake in his reply.
“I was expecting that you would go to the courts and say that you trust them (the courts),” adding that the response disappointed him.
The court agreed and granted another chance to submit a “well-considered” response, showing that the former premier did understand the severity of the matter.
Subsequently the hearing of the case was adjourned till September 8, meaning that Khan has seven days to come up with a satisfactory response.
Not only the Islamabad High Court initiate contempt proceeding against him, but also booked him under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (punishment for acts of terrorism), according to the copy of the first information report.
The case was registered at the Margalla Police Station of Islamabad.
Khan, 69, is currently out on bail in the case.
Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician, has been targeting powerful institutions, including the Pakistan Army, since his government was toppled in April. PTI SH VM VM
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