Ex-PM Imran exemplifies British judicial system but does not value country’s judiciary

ISLAMABAD, March 03 (SABAH): An anti-terrorism court (ATC) judge on Friday remarked that despite carrying the emblem of justice in its name, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chanted slogans against the judiciary inside the courts.

Judge Raja Nasir Abbas remarked this in a case against PTI leaders Asad Umar and others over protesting outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The judge remarked that PTI chief Imran Khan had appeared before the court with thousands of people.

The judge remarked that Khan exemplified the judicial system of the United Kingdom but did not respect the judiciary in the country himself. He had brought a plethora of goons with him to the court, he remarked, and he had the CCTV evidence. He further remarked that Khan would keep him busy for another year as the PTI chief had returned with more cases than he already had upon his arrival to the court.

The court also summoned the Rajanpur police to appear with the record as they had failed to present Umar before the court on Friday despite the court’s orders. The ATC judge Raja Jawad Abbas remarked that the court would have fixed the case had Umar’s lawyer Babar Awan argued for excluding the terrorism charges from the case lodged against him on Friday.

The judge inquired if Umar was granted bail until the next hearing, would he appear before the court. “The court would inquire at the next hearing what terrorism he had committed”, he remarked.

Babar Awan argued if [his act] was called terrorism, how would you see the 99 lives that were lost in an attack on Peshawar Police Lines? The judge remarked that now even political terrorism had started.

Later the court adjourned the hearing until March 17.