Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday filed a petition in the Supreme Court (SC) to defer the proceedings in the contempt of court case.
Imran Khan's lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, filed an application in the contempt of court case after the PTI chief was wounded in a gun attack on party's 'Haqeeqi Azadi March' in Wazirabad on November 3
In the plea, Raja maintained that his client is admitted to the hospital due to the “unfortunate incident” and that it is not possible to submit a reply on the matter.
"It is requested that the case not be fixed for hearing at the moment," the PTI lawyer requested.
The top court had asked the PTI chief to submit an answer and had said that the date of the next hearing will then be set.
On November 2, the SC sought an explanation from Imran Khan on the events of May 25, 2022, related to the party's first long march, during the hearing of a contempt of court plea filed by the federal government.
A five-member larger SC bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, continued hearing a contempt petition against PTI Chairman and former premier Imran Khan.
The bench sought a detailed reply from the PTI chief over the violation of the May 25 order.
During the hearing, CJP Bandial noted that the court had moved carefully in this case. “Even now we are exercising great restraint,” he added. The chief justice further remarked that the judges did not want their pen to be “misused”.
The bench also expressed its disappointment over two PTI lawyers, Dr Babar Awan and Chaudhry Faisal Hussain, for violating the court’s trust about the May 25 order.
During an earlier hearing, in his reply to the SC over the contempt of court plea, Imran Khan had maintained that he was unaware of any statement or undertaking submitted to the court on behalf of the “senior leadership” of his party ahead of the May 25 march.
The PTI chief had submitted his reply after the apex court had directed him to present a written response after examining reports filed by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
It is pertinent to mention that in its May 25 order, the top court had issued clear instructions to the PTI to hold its Azadi March protest near Peshawar Mor between the H-9 and G-9 areas of Islamabad.
However, Imran Khan and the PTI supporters made their way toward D-Chowk, prompting the government to call in the army for the security of Red Zone in the federal capital.