Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan will be indicted on contempt of court charges

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will be indicted on charges of contempt of court later this month after he criticised a judges’ treatment of his chief of staff.

Islamabad High Court ruled Khan would be indicted on September 22 for criticising the magistrate responsible for keeping a party leader in police custody, after also claiming the official had been tortured.

Khan had told a female judge ‘we will not spare you’ in a public rally last month after she declined bail to one of his close aides who is facing treason charges. 

‘The court has decided to indict him,’ his lawyer Faisal Chaudhry told reporters. It is a decision by five member judges, he said.

The ruling is the latest twist in months of political wrangling that started even before he was ousted in April by a vote of no confidence in the national assembly.

Islamabad High Court ruled Khan (arriving in court today) would be indicted on September 22 for criticising the magistrate responsible for keeping a party leader in police custody, after also claiming the official had been tortured

Pakistani security forces are seen outside Islamabad High Court where Khan appeared in a contempt of court case on Thursday

Today, judges rejected Khan’s explanation for comments he made about the magistrate. 

‘Imran Khan’s response was not satisfactory,’ state media quoted the chief justice of the court as saying.

The ruling does not necessarily mean Khan will face trial as his lawyers will likely appeal against the decision – a frequent occurrence in the Pakistan legal system.

Earlier Khan had expressed regret for his comments, but stopped short of a full apology.

‘The respondent takes this opportunity to express his deep regrets over his unintentional utterances during the course of his speech,’ he said in formal reply to the court – a copy of which was obtained by AFP.

‘The respondent beseeches that the said Islamic principles of… forgiveness would also be followed in this case,’ it said.

In such a contempt case, the accused are required to tender an unconditional apology without any justification, clearly stating that they leave themselves at the mercy of the court, legal analysts say, as long as the accused do not want to contest the case.

Khan did not give a clear apology.

‘Now what?’ he told reporters as he left the courtroom when asked about his response to the decision. ‘Now, they (the judges) have to decide,’ he said.

Khan had told a female judge ‘we will not spare you’ in a public rally last month after she declined bail to one of his close aides who is facing treason charges

Today, judges rejected Khan’s explanation for comments he made about the magistrate

Former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and several members of the parliament have in the past been convicted of contempt of court and been disqualified from contesting elections for five years.

Khan is also due in the separate Anti-Terrorism Court on Friday when his bail is due to expire in a different case regarding the same comments he made about the judge.

In his contempt of court case, the judges had given Khan several chances for him to reconsider an earlier response to the court where he expressed regret over the remarks rather than giving an outright apology.

The judges also warned Khan’s lawyers repeatedly on Thursday, saying he did not understand the sensitivity of the matter, the broadcasters said. 

Khan’s aides have described his legal issues as an attempt to knock him out technically after seeing his growing popularity among people since his ouster in April in a confidence vote. 

Pakistani security forces are seen outside Islamabad High Court today where Khan appeared in a contempt of court case

Despite his ousting, Khan retains widespread support, staging mass rallies railing against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government and scoring successes in recent provincial assembly by-elections.

Pakistan has a history of those in power using the police and courts to stifle political opponents, and Sharif also has several pending cases against him from his time in opposition.

Khan, who was brought to power with the military’s support, had fallen out with the powerful generals in his final months in office.

Both Khan and the military, which analysts say mostly decide who will rule the South Asian nation, deny that.

The military earlier this week said in a rare direct rebuke, that it was ‘aghast’ at Khan’s comments about the upcoming appointment of an army chief.

Khan had said the ruling coalition will appoint a favourite as army chief because ‘they are afraid that if a strong, patriotic army chief comes, he will make them answerable (about their corruption).

The political turmoil comes as Pakistan deals with devastating floods caused by record monsoon rains that have left a third of the country under water and affected more than 33 million people.