ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has decided not to frame charges against former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the contempt case against him for threatening Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, ARY News reported on Thursday.
According to details, the IHC deferred contempt proceedings against Imran Khan after the former premier expressed the willingness to apologise to Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry.
A five-member bench – comprising IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri and Justice Babar Sattar – heard the contempt case against Imran Khan.
During today’s hearing, the PTI Chairman sought permission from the larger bench to put his statement on the record. “I am ready to apologise to the female judge,” he told the court.
The former premier noted that his intentions were not to threaten the female judge. “It the court says so, I am ready to personally go to the judge and apologise,” he said, adding that he would not repeat something like this in the future.
Following this, IHC CJ Athar Minallah remarked that it would not be appropriate to conduct contempt proceedings. The court decided to not indict the PTI chief after he agreed to apologise to Judge Chaudhry and the hearing was subsequently adjourned till September 26 (Monday).
The Islamabad High Court also directed Imran Khan to submit an affidavit in light of his statement to the court.
Strict security arrangements were made inside and around the court prior to the hearing. The number of personnel deployed at sensitive places and important routes was increased.
The entry of lawyers, law officers and journalists in the courtroom was subject to entry passes, while the registrar of the high court also provided the facility to listen to audio cases in the press room and bar room.
In a circular, the IHC noted that a 15-member legal team of former prime minister, 15 law officers from the office of the attorney-general and advocate-general will be allowed to enter the courtroom.
In the last hearing on September 8, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) called the PTI Chairman’s response ‘unsatisfactory’ and decided to indict him in the contempt case.
As the court was set to announce its reserved verdict in the contempt case, Imran Khan requested the court to allow him to speak. At this, the IHC CJ said that the court had heard his lawyers.
Shortly after the verdict was announced, in an informal conversation with reporters outside the courtroom, the former PM said he wanted to speak during the proceedings but was not allowed to do so.
Imran Khan submits second reply
Imran Khan on September 7 submitted the second reply in contempt of court notice against him by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), expressing deep regrets over his unintentional utterances during the Faisalabad rally.
Imran Khan in his reply before the IHC expressed gratitude towards the IHC bench for giving him a second chance to submit his response in the case and said that he could not think of uttering anything against the judiciary.
He further said that his words were not meant to hurt the feelings of Judge Zeba Chaudhry and if her feeling have been hurt, it is deeply regretted. The reply from Imran Khan further said that he assures the court that he would not shy away from expressing his remorse to her.
Shah Khalid Hamdani is Senior Courts/Sports Correspondent at ARY News
