Imran submits another reply to IHC

ISLAMABAD (INP): PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday submitted a new reply in the Islamabad High Court in a contempt case extending his regrets over his ‘inadvertent’ rant against a female judicial officer but there was no mention of any apology. In his reply, the former premier expressed his remorse saying that he was sorry over his remarks against the female judicial officer. He confessed that his remarks were unintentional as he didn’t mean to hurt the sentiments of a female adjudicator.
“I feel sorry if a female judge is hurt,’ the PTI chief wrote. The Islamabad High Court in its previous hearing on Aug 31 gave PTI Chairman Imran Khan another chance to submit a “well-considered” response in the contempt proceedings initiated against him for his controversial remarks about District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, who had approved his chief of staff, Shahbaz Gill’s physical remand in a sedition case.
In its written order, the IHC found Imran’s reply, submitted on Aug 30, to be “unsatisfactory” asking him to submit a second reply in seven days. The IHC has summoned Imran and his lawyers on September 8 at 2:30pm. Earlier in August, the IHC issued a show-cause notice to the PTI chairman over a contempt of court case after his remarks against Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry and asked him to appear personally before the bench on August 31. During the previous hearing, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that he was personally hurt by the written statement submitted by the former prime minister. “You must understand the seriousness of the matter and answer thoughtfully or else the court will proceed with the matter.”
Court extends Imran, other PTI leaders’ bail: A local court has extended the bails of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other accused till Sept 27 in a case pertaining to violation of Section 144. Additional Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal on Wednesday heard the applications of Imran Khan and other PTI leaders including Sh Rashid, Asad Umar, Faisal Javed, Saifullah Niazi and others. The judge accepted their petitions and granted them bail till Sept 27.
PTI lawyer Babar Awan told the court that Senator Saifullah was not even present in Islamabad at the time of registration of case rather he was presiding over a meeting. Hearing this, the judge asked the investigation officer to quash case against those who did not participate in the PTI rally.
The Islamabad police registered a case against former prime minister Imran Khan and other top leaders of the PTI for violation of Section 144 (ban on public gatherings exceeding four persons) in the federal capital on August 20 — the day the party held a rally to stage a protest against alleged torture and arrest of Shahbaz Gill.
Murad Saeed, Faisal Javed Khan, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Asad Umar, Raja Khurram Nawaz, Ali Nawaz Awan, Faisal Vawda, Shahzad Wasim, Sadaqat Ali Abbasi, Shibli Faraz, Fawad Chaudhry, Saifullah Khan Niazi, Shehryar Afridi, Fayyazul Hasan Chohan, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Asad Qaiser, Zaheer Abbas Khokar and Major Ghulam Sarwar were the other PTI leaders nominated in the FIR.