The government has reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing the contempt case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan over his party’s May 25, 2022, long march, as revealed by Additional Attorney General (AAG) Amir Rehman during a Supreme Court hearing on Tuesday.
The federal government had filed the contempt plea, accusing Khan of violating court orders regarding the protest. The hearing, held by a seven-member constitutional bench led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, saw Justice Aminuddin questioning whether the government genuinely intended to move forward with the case. AAG Rehman confirmed that the government was seeking a serious hearing.
Rehman argued that Khan had violated a court order during the protest, while Justice Aminuddin pointed out that if a notice was issued, Khan would need to appear in person. Justice Mandokhail reminded everyone that contempt cases are strictly between the court and the accused, and emotions should not cloud the matter.
Khan’s lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, stated that his client had submitted a response to the notice, explaining that communication had been disrupted due to mobile service shutdowns. The bench adjourned the hearing indefinitely.
In a separate matter, Khan’s lawyer, Hamid Khan, asked the court to form a judicial commission to investigate the May 9, 2023, violence linked to Khan’s ouster. Justice Mandokhail questioned why the petitioner hadn’t approached the high court, to which Hamid responded that the issue was of national importance, warranting a Supreme Court hearing. The bench decided to overrule procedural objections raised by the Registrar’s Office.
Additionally, the court adjourned a hearing on the trial of civilians in military courts after the AAG requested a delay due to the absence of Khawaja Haris, the defense counsel. The next hearing was rescheduled for Thursday.
