PTI chairman Imran Khan. PHOTO: AFP/ FILE
The apex court resumed the hearing today.
While speaking to the media after the notice was discharged, Imran reiterated that the word "shameful" was used against the conduct of presiding officers in May 11 elections only and not for the judiciary. He said that the party’s 2,500-page long white paper documents the rigging.
The PTI chairman stated that the matter is about the future of Pakistan and the only objective of his comments was to have fair and free elections in the country.
He further stated that May 11 elections were the first one to be held under judicial supervision and only the court can be called for justice.
“If the rigging incidents during the general elections are not investigated, the next election will not be a fight over the mandate but rather over who is better at rigging,” said Imran.
Hearing
Earlier during the hearing, Justice Ejaz Chaudhry said the term “shameful” is abusive if used against the judiciary.
The bench hearing the case was not satisfied with Imran's reply and asked him to review it.
In response to Imran’s written reply, Justice Anwar stated that the word ‘shameful’ is offensive if referred to the judiciary, however a better meaning of the term can be provided by the defendant party.
“The court will review the meaning of the word ‘shameful’, if Imran Khan does not apologise,” says Justice Ejaz.
His lawyer Hamid Khan had submitted a 21-page reply to the apex court on August 27.
Background
A press statement by Imran on July 26 triggered the contempt of court controversy when he said that the judiciary was involved in rigging during the May 11 elections. The PTI chief had later said the statement was made in good faith wherein the reference to the judiciary was for the returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) belonging to the subordinate judiciary assigned to the election process.
Imran appeared before the court on August 2 in this regard and submitted a brief written reply.
Unimpressed by the reply, the apex court bench adjourned the hearing till August 28 and asked Imran’s counsel to submit a comprehensive response at the next date of the hearing.
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Correction: In an earlier version of this story, Hamid Khan was incorrectly mentioned as Imran Khan's prosecutor. The error has been fixed.
COMMENTS (57)
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i like pti nd imran i support imran khan in all steps
Victory for the one who stood on his stance... and on there other hand, there r some who take U-turns on their stances every other day, be it on Zardari's immunity, dragging zardari on LHR streets, Ending load shedding, Capital punishment for Terrorists, breaking the begging bowl, swiss cases, Election 2008 bycott, position on MQM, etc etc etc... :)
Courts can only target PPP workers and leaders and all other people go free without trouble. Gilani was removed from PMship but PMLN, and MQM cases are still in dormant state. PTI chief gets clean chit.
It shows that the judiciary is not sleeping. Imran have to apologize in front of apex court.
SC should resolve the main issues this country is having..a single spoken word against SC frm IK. they took notice..rest of the contry is carrying for justice..
IK true to his words.....I like this guy....
Our superior judiciary should focus on more pressing matters and with tens of thousands of cases pending they should avoid calling contempt of court for such petty issues.
So the #Sharamnak issue is solved amicably. Real lesson for all - specially our media, anchors (each one of them believe he has exclusive on wisdom), judiciary, politicians, people is to focus energy on real issues, instead of getting bogged down in or create trivial/non issues. To me if ever the phrase "Making mountain out of a molehill" was aptly used, this was it. How many of us know that Rupee is now at 104 to a dollar. How many of us know its impact on our economy, inflation, increase in loan burden etc.. #Sharmanak are our priorities in this country. Totally upside down.
This is what our politicians do if the statement clicks than they own there words, if not than they disown the situation !
I see... Public pressure. Gilani must be crying today.
imran khan is convincingly correct in the SC. 11 May gen. elections should be scrutinised by the ECP through NADRA thumb printing program.
@bilal: How many of the people in KPK has access to internet when the main audience of this RTI is the internet users. The Both FIR and RTI are measures to please the elites burger generation. Not targeted for general masses. So please spare us of these two "revolutionary" steps. PTI's efforts are concentrated to please its twitter and facebook warriors.
Imran Khan has set a sharamnaak example of leadership.....Don't look at me like this people sharamnak is not abusive.....
Quote: "His prosecutor Hamid Khan had submitted a 21-page reply to the apex court on August 27." Un Quote ET please educate your reporter with some legal terms. Hamid Khan is Imran's lawyer in this case not Prosecutor. Pls understand the meaning of Prosecutor and do post my comments.
@Muhammad: yeah whatever!
Quote: "His prosecutor Hamid Khan had submitted a 21-page reply to the apex court on August 27". Un-Quote ET, please educate your reporter with legal terms. Hamid Khan is Imran's Lawyer not his prosecutor. I think your reporter donot know the meaning of Prosecutor. Pls do publish my comments.
@Amin:
Your comment on Imran Khan's personal life is " Sharamnak" ...How does it feel now..:)
Mature move on the part of the judiciary to put an end to a non-issue.
What a waste of time
No win no loss match is levelled.
Truth prevail and IK stands his foot......:)
Drama over, folks! Back to work.
@Muhammad.
Add RTI LaW...mother of all laws plus online FIR!!
The Supreme Court wanted to "pin down" Imran Khan. Khan is a cornered tiger ,who can never be tamed. Way to go IK! We are with you till the end.
Imran Khan's act of attending a ball in London during Ramzan was a 'Shameful' (Sharamnaak) act .. How does it feel now???
@Fahad I think his end is here ;-) and it's going to be very "شرمناک "
"shameful" is less abusive than "corrupt", a word used by supreme court itself for subordinate courts. CJ is fully aware that lower judiary has rampant corruption and needs to be cleansed.
Mr. Khan is better to say sorry as SC is not interested in its image, they want to remove IK with the backing of US and Nawaz Sharif
(Some reports on corrupt judicary) http://tribune.com.pk/story/317872/corruption-in-district-courts-must-be-wiped-out-cjp/
http://tribune.com.pk/story/563987/no-merit-only-corruption-qualifies-for-a-promotion-in-the-judiciary/
It is indeed SHAMEFULL
What a SHARAMNAK news.. Sigh
Oops thats ABUSIVE and i bet ET will never gonna publish this comment
What if it is used against an ordinary Pakistani citizen? This is democracy Chief sb. We have the right to express our opinions.
Are we not wasting too much time of our higher courts in petty and silly matters which by itself is sharmnak?
Without getting into legal aspect of this issue, I would say, locking horns with SC is one of the best tools for media attention (in the absence of any worthy delivery in KP).
It is the most pressing issue for the masses in Pakistan; judiciary needs to get a life and just move on or be ‘shameful forever!!
"The term “shameful” is abusive if used against the judiciary, Justice Ejaz Chaudhry". I thought Judges and lawyers are human