Contempt case: Pakistan court issues show-cause notice to Imran Khan

The court on Monday constituted a larger bench to initiate contempt of court proceedings against Khan for "threatening" Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry during his speech in Islamabad Saturday

A top court in Pakistan on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to former prime minister Imran Khan and summoned him on August 31 in contempt proceedings initiated against him for passing controversial remarks against a female judge at a rally here.

A three-member bench of the Islamabad High Court, headed by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and comprising Justice Babar Sattar and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, also asked Khan to personally appear before the bench on August 31.

The court on Monday constituted a larger bench to initiate contempt of court proceedings against 69-year-old Khan for "threatening" Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry during his speech in Islamabad on Saturday.

During the hearing, Justice Kayani termed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman's remarks 'inappropriate' and said the case is not only confined to the IHC but the message is going to the highest level, adding that people on social media should be controlled.

"Imran is consistently giving remarks against the judiciary and the ECP. This should come to a stop," he said.

Justice Mian Gul added that Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry will be provided security.

At a rally in Islamabad's F-9 park on Saturday, Khan had threatened to file cases against Islamabad's inspector general of police and deputy inspector general of police and declared: We won't spare you.

He then warned the judiciary against its biased attitude towards his party, saying that it should brace itself for the consequences.

He warned additional district and sessions judge Zeba Chaudhry, who had approved two-day physical remand of Khan's aide Shahbaz Gill's on the request of Islamabad Police, that she would also face dire consequences.

Gill was arrested last week on charges of sedition.

Last week, Khan was booked under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (punishment for acts of terrorism), according to the copy of the first information report.

The case was registered at the Margalla Police Station of Islamabad.

Khan's lawyers Babar Awan and Faisal Chaudhry filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court seeking pre-arrest bail on his behalf, where a two-member bench comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Babar Sattar took up the petition.

After hearing arguments, the court approved protective bail till August 25 and directed him to approach a relevant Anti-terrorism Court by then.

Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician, has been targeting powerful institutions, including the Pakistan Army, since his government was toppled in April.