ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday constituted a five-member larger bench to hear the contempt of court plea filed against PTI Chairman Imran Khan by the incumbent government.
The plea was moved by the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Ashtar Ausaf Ali. The five-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial will hear the plea today at 11:00 am.
The petition stated that Imran Khan violated court orders and damaged state property during Islamabad’s long march. The petitioner urged the apex court to launch contempt of court proceedings against Imran Khan.
The Supreme Court had allowed PTI to stage a protest at Islamabad’s H-9 and stopped the government from carrying out raids and arresting protestors. However, the PTI managed to enter Islamabad towards Jinnah Avenue before ending the long march.
Six-day ultimatum
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has given a six-day ultimatum to government to dissolve assemblies and announce elections
Addressing protesters at Islamabad’s Jinnah Avenue, he warned that he would return to the capital with the “entire nation” otherwise. The former prime minister said he had reached Islamabad after 30 hours of travelling from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“Government has tried every method to crush our Azadi March, they used teargas on peaceful protest, our homes were raided and privacy of the homes were violated, however I have seen the nation free itself from fear of slavery,” he said.
While giving a deadline to the government to announce the date for fresh polls,Imran Khan said, “he is giving a six-day ultimatum to the government to dissolve assemblies and announce general elections in June.”
“My message for imported government is to dissolve assemblies and announce elections, otherwise I will come back again to Islamabad after six days,” he added.
He thanked the Supreme Court for taking notice of the matter and said there was a “huge responsibility” on the court’s judges.
He went on to ask where in a democracy peaceful protests were not allowed and demonstrators had to face tear-gas shelling, police raids and arrests. The PTI chairman entered Islamabad in the early hours of Thursday and marched towards D-Chowk.
The federal government authorised the deployment of the army in Red Zone to “protect important government buildings”.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah issued a notification saying the government has authorise the deployment”of the army in Red Zone under Article 245 of the Constitution.
Among the buildings that will be protected are the Supreme Court, Parliament House, Prime Minister House, Presidency, Pakistan Secretariat and Diplomatic enclaves,” the notification said.
