SC dismisses contempt notice against PTI chief

The Supreme Court on Wednesday discharged the contempt notice against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for using the word “shameful”.

A two-member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Ijaz Chaudhry resumed the hearing.

Justice Khilji said there was nothing in the reply of Imran Khan that showed regret over using the word “shameful”.

Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali remarked that what would happen if national leaders did not safeguard the dignity of prestigious institutions.

He said if the court decided that the word shameful was not an abusive word, then it would set an example. He further said a dictionary could be consulted for the meanings.

Justice Jamali said institutions would be damaged with such careless attitude. He said that the returning officers assisted the Election Commission in holding polls. “The judiciary was not the part of electoral process but the chief justice allowed it especially on a request by the chief election commissioner.”

Justice Jamali then suggested a review of the reply and urged to take a respectable stance.

Attorney General Munir A Malik said the reverence of the court would be sustained in the eyes of the public. He said this case was not regarding disobedience, if anybody blamed the court, people would not believe in it.

Imran Khan’s prosecutor Hamid Khan clearly mentioned that the word shameful was used for the presiding officers’ role in the May 11 elections and it was not for the judiciary.

Justice Anwar Zaheer then suggested to review the reply and urged to take a respectable stance.

Imran Khan, summoned for a second time before the SC, said he never criticised the senior judiciary and that undermining the supremacy of the judiciary was akin to undermining democracy.

“Why is it being misconstrued? I only referred to the returning officers and never named the Supreme Court or the superior judiciary,” Khan told the court.

“My entire struggle has been focused on an independent justice system,” he said.

The court later dropped the case.

“The notice is discharged,” said Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali.

The PTI chairman Imran Khan earlier on Tuesday submitted a detailed reply in which he insisted that the word “sharamnak” was not abusive and he did not use it for the judiciary.

The 21-page reply submitted by Khan through his counsels requested the court to discharge the contempt notice issued to him on July 26, saying he had not committed contempt.

The PTI chief contended that the word “sharamnak”, used by him during his press conference of July 26, was never meant to be an abuse to anyone, not even for the DROs and ROs. “It was not used in its literal sense or connotation but it was rather used in the sense or context of unbecoming and it is humbly submitted that it may kindly be so construed,” the counsels for the PTI chief contended.

The PTI chairman, in his detailed reply, contended that the criticism of the ECP, DROs and ROs was directed at their performance that was in pursuance of their administrative duties.

Talking to reporters‚ Khan said he believed in an independent judiciary and his comments were not meant against the top institution.

He again demanded detailed investigation into election rigging in four constituencies and said the role of returning officers should be made transparent.

He said that his party did not want a clash with the SC.

Imran said he was happy with the statement of the attorney general in the court, adding that he would continue the campaign for the independence and strengthening of judiciary.