IHC dismisses contempt of court petition against PM

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against Prime Minister Imran Khan for his recent remarks against the judiciary.

The court had earlier reserved its verdict on the maintainability of the petition. The petition against the prime minister was filed by Advocate Saleemullah Khan.

According to the petitioner, Imran Khan committed contempt of court and tried to make the judiciary appear controversial in his 18th November speech.

Imran had appealed to Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and his successor to restore the public’s trust in the judiciary. The remarks did not go down well as the chief justice made a scathing rejoinder advising Imran not to taunt the judiciary.

Read more: Never differentiate between powerful and weak: CJP Khosa

The LHC had allowed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad for medical treatment, without having to sign the indemnity bond suggested by the federal government.

During the proceedings, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah probed the petitioner, “Do you want the trial of an elected prime minister?”

“Do you know the outcome of such a move? Do you want the prime minister to be disqualified?” asked Justice Minallah.

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Prime Minister earlier in his speech requested the Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa to end the thought that there were different laws for the powerful and the weak.

He also asked Asif Saeed Khosa and senior judge of the Supreme Court Justice Gulzar Ahmed to come forward and restore public confidence in the judiciary

The petitioner also submitted a video recording and transcript of Khan’s speech along with the petition.