Contempt case: SC orders Imran Khan to resubmit reply till Aug 28

Contempt case: SC orders Imran Khan to resubmit reply till Aug 28

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan reiterated his demand for detailed investigation and voters’ verification in the four constituencies in May 11 elections, and said that why he should apologize for contempt when he has not even committed it. Imran Khan was speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court building after the hearing of contempt of court case against him. He said that he stood by each and every word he said. He told that by “shameful” he meant that the returning officers did not fulfill their responsibility to conduct fair elections. He said that it was the first time he came to know that using the word “shameful” was abusive. Imran Khan repeated that he has not done anything wrong and that his criticism was confined to the conduct of returning officers, and said that he had said nothing that calls for punishment. Imran Khan said that PTI sacrificed the most for the restoration of sacked judges and that he can never imagine using disrespectful words against the higher judiciary. He said the independent judiciary has done some incredible work and he always respected the judiciary and rule of law. It is pertinent to mention here that the SC rejected Imran Khan’s rejoinder submitted in the contempt of court case and ordered yet again to submit his detailed statement by August 28. The court had given Imran Khan time till 11:30 am today to submit his second and revised reply today but rejected it once again, terming it “disappointing”. The court had termed his earlier response as “insufficient”. According to his revised response submitted in the court today, Imran Khan’s July 26 statement was not against the chief justice or the Supreme Court but he meant to criticize the role of the returning officers and district returning officers during 2013 elections. The court did not approve his second response as well and instructed his counsel Hamid Khan to submit a third and more heartfelt written response by August. 28. The court, then, adjourned the hearing till then.