Imran not aware of any assurances given to SC by PTI

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday expressed his ignorance about any undertaking being made before the Supreme Court on behalf of the senior leadership of his party, assuring no violation of the court’s order passed on May 25.

In his reply submitted before the apex court through his counsel Salman Akram Raja, the former prime minister expressed his ignorance about the assurance given by his party’s senior leadership before the court. “The answering respondent respectfully submits that he was not aware of any statement or undertaking having been made before this court on behalf of the “senior leadership of the PTI” or on his behalf during the course of 25.05.2022 nor of the details, including as regards the D Chowk area, of the order passed by this Court around 06:00 p.m. on 25.05.2022”, Imran Khan submitted.

The PTI Chairman further submitted that he holds this august court in the highest regard and that no question arises of his knowingly violating an undertaking made before this Court or of his not obeying an order made by this Court. He, sought further time to file a reply in the order passed by the apex court on October 26.

It is pertinent to mention here that a five-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial on October 26 had directed the PTI Chairman as well as Babar Awan and Faisal Chaudhry counsels of PTI to submit their replies by October 31 pursuant to the reports filed by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICP), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) regarding May 26 PTI protest.

The bench however, had declined the request of the federal government seeking an interim order for restraining Imran Khan from holding long march to the federal capital he has announced for October 28. The apex court had issued simple notices to Imran Khan, his counsel Babar Awan and Fasial Chaudhry on October 26.

Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial had observed that at present they will not issue contempt notices or show-cause notices in the instant matter. “Let Imran Khan submit a reply, only then will we decide on whether his actions constituted contempt of court or not,” the Chief Justice had said, adding that they want to hear the respondent (Imran Khan ) stance on the allegations of the government.

The court had directed the PTI Chairman Imran Khan to submit his reply over the violation of the court’s May 25 order wherein it had restricted the party for holding its march near Peshawar Morr between the H-9 and G-9 areas of Islamabad.

In his reply, submitted on Monday before the apex court Chairman PTI Imran Khan submitted that given the factual detail contained in the reports filed before this Court, and the need to truthfully reconstruct the events of 25.05.2022, he seeks extension from the court to submit his reply on the matter. The time allowed for filing of reply may kindly be extended till at least November 03, 2022, the former prime minister prayed to apex court.

Meanwhile, Faisal Chaudhry also filed his reply in the apex court stating that he was neither a party in Constitution petition filed by Islamabad High Court Bar Association nor he has been arrayed as party in the petition filed by Ministry of Interior. He submitted that to set the record straight, neither the PTI nor its leaders were either party nor represented by the undersigned, adding that he took up the labour on court’s call.

He recalled that the Islamabad High Court Bar Association in the larger public interest filed a Constitutional Petition No.19/2022, alleging that the federal government with the help of the then provincial government of Punjab, had let loose hell on the common citizens by making unlawful arrests, including of members of legal fraternity, shelling and blocking the roads all across, including the ICT.

He submitted that he and other bar members were also present in the court room in solidarity with Bar President Shoaib Shaheen/the petitioner, adding that during the proceedings, he was called to the rostrum by the bench and he was further directed to seek instructions from PTI leadership.

Faisal Chaudhry submitted that in pursuant to court’s instructions, he tried to establish contact with leadership but he was unable to contact with any senior leader, including his brother who was facing intense shelling from the police, on Mangla Bridge.

Meanwhile, when he came to know that Babar Awan, senior counsel was appearing before the Islamabad High Court, he rushed to Islamabad High Court, Islamabad and apprised of the situation”, he submitted.

Faisal further informed the court that Asad Umar, PTI’s General Secretary, was contacted and he was informed about the hearing and court instructions, adding that following instructions from him, Dr. Babar Awan informed the court that the ground between H-9 and G-9 should be made available to PTI, also to hold its rally.