IHC issues contempt of court notice to Imran Khan for threatening woman judge during a public gathering
ISLAMABAD, August 23 (SABAH): Three-member larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) headed by Justice Moshin Akhtar Kayani and comprising Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Babar Sattar has issued contempt of court notice to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan for threatening Additional Sessions Judge Islamabad Zeba Chaudhry during a public gathering. The court has issued notice to Imran Khan under Section 17 and has directed him to appear before the court personally on 31st August. Justice Moshin Akhtar Kayani said that this is very serious issue. He said that some specific persons have paralyzed the whole system. Justice Moshin Akhtar Kayani questioned whether it is appropriate for doing this for a person who himself remained the prime minister? The court has also directed the federal government to provide additional security to woman judge Zeba Chaudhry.
The Islamabad high court had taken notice of the speech of Imran Khan on the note forwarded by registrar of the IHC. Advocate General Islamabad Barrister Jehangir Khan Jadoor appeared before the court and apprised the court about the speech of Imran Khan, in which Imran Khan threatened the Additional Sessions judge Zeba Chaudhry and IG and DIG police Islamabad.
During the hearing on Tuesday, Islamabad Advocate General Jahangir Khan Jadoon informed the court that he had filed a miscellaneous application seeking permission to put Imran Khan’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.”
“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 prime facie, 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 IHC Justice Athar Minallah for the constitution of bench comprising more than three judges. Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani directed Advocate General Islamabad to personally ensure compliance of the contempt notice to Imran Khan.
Earlier on, Islamabad Advocate General Barrister Jahangir Khan Jadoon sought the court’s permission to put on record Imran’s statements allegedly against the judiciary and other institutions in court.
In his application, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, Jadoon said he wanted to place relevant material “like videos, clips and previous statements of the respondents (Imran) on electronic and digital media on record, which are helpful” for the case.
The Islamabad advocate general said he wanted to seek permission to “display different statement of the respondents on different occasion against the judiciary and other institution (sic).
“In these circumstances, it is humbly prayed that [the court] allow to display the aforementioned material in this honourable court via USB or other digital gadgets, and consider this material as part of the case,” he said in his application. The advocate general has filed the application on the state’s behalf.