The court was expected to formally indict Khan, 69, in contempt proceedings against him for passing controversial remarks against the female judge. (File)A top Pakistani court on Thursday deferred a contempt proceedings against former prime minister Imran Khan after he appeared before it and expressed readiness to apologise for his controversial remarks against a female judge.
After Khan expressed his willingness to apologise to Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry for his controversial remarks, the Islamabad High Court deferred contempt proceedings against him.
The court was expected to formally indict Khan, 69, in contempt proceedings against him for passing controversial remarks against the female judge.
During a rally here on August 20, Khan had threatened to file cases against top police officials, election commission and political opponents over the treatment meted out to his aide Shahbaz Gill, who was arrested on charges of sedition.
He had also taken exception to Judge Zeba Chaudhry, who had approved Gill’s two-day physical remand at the request of the police, and said she should “prepare herself as action would be taken against her.” Hours after the speech, Khan was booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act for threatening police, judiciary and other state institutions at his rally.
Justice Aamer Farooq decided to initiate contempt proceedings against Khan while hearing a petition challenging Gill’s police remand.
The court had given Khan twice an opportunity to give a written response to satisfy the court but he failed to satisfy the court which announced to indict him.
Khan was ousted from power in April after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.
The cricketer-turned-politician, who came to power in 2018, is the only Pakistani Prime Minister to be ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament.