Karachi: It is pertinent to mention here that making contemptuous remarks against the courts is not new to Imran Khan. It was nine years ago, in July, 2013 when the then chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Chaudhry had issued a contempt of court notice to Imran, who was then demanding re-polling in four constituencies, for calling the Supreme Court (SC) and the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) role ‘shameful’.
PTI Chairman had alleged rigging in elections in these four constituencies during the general elections of 2013. And later in an interview, he had said that he would prefer going to jail rather than seeking forgiveness.
At that time, the attorney general of Pakistan (AGP) had said no matter whosoever pointed out fingers at the superior judiciary, people would not believe him, and that people would continue to look upon the courts with respect. Following that, the SC withdrew the contempt of court notice issued to Imran, who thanked the AGP for his statement.
Not only has that, the ECP, too, issued contempt notices to the former prime minister on several occasions. It was in 2017 when the then chief election commissioner had issued him the notice when he accused the ECP of being partial in investigation in the PTI’s foreign funding case.
And although Imran submitted his apology to the election commission through his counsel, the latter had directed him to appear in person. And when he did not show up, the ECP issued his arrest warrants, which he later challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The high court suspended the warrants and directed the PTI chairman to submit his reply to the show-cause notice. Following that, Imran’s counsel Babar Awan submitted to the ECP a letter in which he had sought an unconditional apology from the commission. The incumbent chief election commissioner, too, has issued him the contempt notice.