ISLAMABAD: A five-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial is expected to take up on Oct 20 the federal government’s contempt of court petition against former prime minister Imran Khan as well as another plea seeking a restraining order against him from creating a perceived law and order situation through a long march on D-Chowk.

Apart from the CJP, the bench will consist of Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi.

Moved through Advocate on Record Anis Muhammad Shahzad on behalf of the Interior Ministry, the application had requested the top court to hear the matter preferably from the week commencing on Monday.

The contempt petition was filed against PTI Chairman Imran Khan for allegedly flouting the SC’s May 25 order by recalling how on that date the apex court had ordered the PTI to hold a gathering in a ground between sectors H-9 and G-9 in view of the categorical assurances on behalf of the top party leadership and counsel that their rally would not cause any inconvenience to the public and citizenry or blockage of the Srinagar Highway, and that the rally would be conducted in a peaceful and lawful manner.

Despite these assurances, the PTI top leadership, by acting in blatant disregard for the court directions, exhorted its supporters to reach D-Chowk, falsely professing that the court had allowed the march without any conditions.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2022