Chief Justice Iftikhar Chau-dhry on Wed-nesday issued contempt notice to Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan for August 02 to explain why contempt of court proceeding should not be initiated against him over his remarks about judiciary's role in the May 11 general elections. The notice was issued in response to a registrar's note terming the speeches/remarks of the PTI chief fairly critical and derogatory as regards the Judiciary/judges of the Supreme Court.
The Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) was also issued notice to appear before the court in relation to this matter. The note said that while holding a press conference on July 26, 2013, Imran stated that the role of judiciary and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was "shameful" in the conduct of general elections.
"The elections were rigged, due to the role played by these two institutions... the general elections 2013 were the worst in terms of rigging and mismanagement - he [Imran Khan] wants to ensure that no such shameful elections are held in the future - PTI has accepted election results, but not election rigging," the Registrar's note said quoting Imran Khan.
The SC Registrar further said that on July 29, 2013 Imran expressed a lack of trust in the judiciary and alleged that the Judiciary/Supreme Court had a hand in recent election rigging. "On July 7,2013 Imran Khan again stated that Judicial officers acting as Returning Officers remained the most controversial in General Elections - further, that the double standards of the judiciary have come to surface as his candidates were knocked down on technical grounds," the note maintained. "His [Imran Khan's] statements are aimed at, inter alia, shaking public faith/confidence in the administration of justice and undermining the dignity/prestige of the Court, thereby tending to bring the Court/Judges into hatred, ridicule or contempt. Article 204 of the Constitution read with the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003 indeed provide for punishment for contempt of Court," the Chief Justice said.
Chief Justice Chaudhry passed the order: "Prima facie, it seems that he [Imran Khan] has started a deliberate campaign to scandalise the court and bring for judges hatred, ridicule or contempt - Thus, his above acts call for contempt of court action under Article 204 of the Constitution read with section 3 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003."
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