The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday decided to initiate the contempt of court proceedings against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan for hurling threats to Judicial Magistrate Zeba Chaudhry.
The decision to issue the contempt of court notice by IHC was taken in response to the registrar’s note and after consultations with all the other judges.
A larger bench comprising Justice Mohsin Akhter Kayani, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Baber Sattar will take up the matter on Tuesday (today).
The PTI chairman, during a rally at F-9 Park Islamabad, had given a threatening statement about Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry in his speech. The judicial magistrate had granted the police a two-day physical remand of PTI leader Shahbaz Gill.
Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Ahsan Bhoon welcomed IHC’s decision to constitute a larger bench to initiate proceedings against the contempt of court committed by former prime minister Imran Khan. Bhoon condemned the way Khan addressed Additional Sessions Judge Chaudhry calling his threats an attempt to undermine the dignity and prestige of judiciary. “His conduct also exposed how much he cares about the respect and reverence of honorable judges,” Bhoon said, adding that the top court’s bar association cannot turn a blind eye toward such “malicious acts”.
He said that the bar respects disagreement with judgments, but no one is free to harm the respect and dignity of judges. “Let no one be mistaken that SCBA in particular and the entire legal fraternity in general, will not allow anyone to sabotage the dignity and repute of our institutions, especially judiciary,” the statement released by the SCBA read. At the same time, some voices have been raised against the culture of implicating political opponents in sedition cases.
“In an informal meeting with PMLN supremo & former PM @NawazSharifMNS it’s clear that he believes that in principle slapping sedition charges is not the way forward. His main concern remains inflation & he hopes his Govt will bring down the cost of living,” Monizae Jehangir tweeted. “I am not in favour of false cases, I will request Rana Sanaullah to look into the case of Shahbaz Gill,” Rizwan Ahmed Ghilzai tweeted quoting former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
Political pundits believe that popular statements at public rallies by political leaders are for the consumption of masses and should be seen only in the political context, instead of taking a harsh view of those. They opined that in the past, Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Fazl ur Rehman and other political leaders have also been making such remarks against institutions as well as senior officials at public rallies.
