PHC asks Imran to submit written reply over contempt of court

Petitioners maintain Imran committed contempt of court by commenting on a sub judice matter

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court (PHC) ordered on Thursday Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chiairman Imran Khan to submit a written reply to PHC Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel by November 12 for his comments on Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act, 2015.

While hearing a petition filed by Khyber Medical College Teachers Association and others, a two-judge bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Muhammad Younis Thaheem ordered the PTI chief to submit a reply by next week.



The petitioners maintained that the controversial K-P Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act 2015 is currently in court and by commenting on a sub judice matter Imran has committed contempt of court.

Addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Tuesday, Imran declared a war against ‘mafia doctors’ who, according to him, have been obstructing the implementation of K-P government’s fresh legislation in the health sector.

He warned a group of doctors, who have taken a court stay against Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act, 2015, saying the government would fight against them till the proper implementation of the law.



The PTI chief said his party workers would arrange demonstrations outside the residences of protesting doctors and compel them to accept this law. He also requested the Peshawar High Court chief justice to decide the case in favour of the local population.

Addressing the media at the Chief Minister House, he said his visit was aimed at checking the hospital system in the province and to share the actual ground situation.



He admitted the healthcare system was not working properly and the government has decided to hand over all the administrative powers to the hospitals’ boards of governors.

Imran said a new building at the Lady Reading Hospital had been under-construction for seven years and was still not complete after costing Rs7 billion. The Shaukat Khanam Hospital was build within three years at a cost of Rs3 billion.