The Supreme Court has asked the chiefs of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) as well as IG Islamabad to submit reports over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership's alleged role in inciting party workers to violate the apex court's order and reach D-Chowk on May 25. After receiving the reports, the court will decide whether to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the party.
The verdict in the federal government's petition seeking contempt proceedings against the PTI was issued today (Wednesday). The government's petition was dismissed on May 26 and the court had said that the reason would be given later.
The attorney general of Pakistan had told the court that PTI workers and the participants of the party's long march moved to the D-Chowk area after responding to their leader's call. Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial, in response to the attorney general's request seeking action against the party leadership, said that the court would exercise restraint for the time being due to a number of reasons. He added that PTI Chairperson Imran Khan has called off the jalsa, which gives a 'recess' to the enraged crowd. He added that time should be given for sanity to prevail.
Justice Bandial added that sufficient evident was not available to suggest that the PTI leadership had in fact instigated its workers to defy the SC orders.
"In any event, facts and materials need to be collected to establish the sequence of events, the identity of the perpetrators and of the instigators, if any. At this stage therefore it is directed that the IGP ICT, the Chief Commissioner ICT, the Secretary Ministry of Interior, the Director General Intelligence Bureau, and the Director General ISI shall file reports answering the questions," the apex court said.
Dissenting Note Proposes Contempt Proceedings Against Imran
Justice Yahya Afridi, however, disagreed with Chief Justice Bandial's remarks that there was no credible material before the apex court to begin contempt proceedings against Imran Khan.
In his dissenting note, Justice Afridi wrote that Imran Khan should be issued a contempt of court notice over the violence in Islamabad and quoted the following statement from Khan issued on the day of the march: "Wherever Pakistanis are, there is good news: the Supreme Court has issued an order that there will be no hurdles and no one will be arrested. This is why I want all Pakistanis to come out of their homes today evening; people in Islamabad and Rawalpindi should try their best to reach D-Chowk because I will reach there within one-and-a-half-hour."
The verdict in the federal government's petition seeking contempt proceedings against the PTI was issued today (Wednesday). The government's petition was dismissed on May 26 and the court had said that the reason would be given later.
The attorney general of Pakistan had told the court that PTI workers and the participants of the party's long march moved to the D-Chowk area after responding to their leader's call. Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial, in response to the attorney general's request seeking action against the party leadership, said that the court would exercise restraint for the time being due to a number of reasons. He added that PTI Chairperson Imran Khan has called off the jalsa, which gives a 'recess' to the enraged crowd. He added that time should be given for sanity to prevail.
Justice Bandial added that sufficient evident was not available to suggest that the PTI leadership had in fact instigated its workers to defy the SC orders.
"In any event, facts and materials need to be collected to establish the sequence of events, the identity of the perpetrators and of the instigators, if any. At this stage therefore it is directed that the IGP ICT, the Chief Commissioner ICT, the Secretary Ministry of Interior, the Director General Intelligence Bureau, and the Director General ISI shall file reports answering the questions," the apex court said.
Dissenting Note Proposes Contempt Proceedings Against Imran
Justice Yahya Afridi, however, disagreed with Chief Justice Bandial's remarks that there was no credible material before the apex court to begin contempt proceedings against Imran Khan.
In his dissenting note, Justice Afridi wrote that Imran Khan should be issued a contempt of court notice over the violence in Islamabad and quoted the following statement from Khan issued on the day of the march: "Wherever Pakistanis are, there is good news: the Supreme Court has issued an order that there will be no hurdles and no one will be arrested. This is why I want all Pakistanis to come out of their homes today evening; people in Islamabad and Rawalpindi should try their best to reach D-Chowk because I will reach there within one-and-a-half-hour."