CJ Minaullah warns Imran not to ‘expect relief from courts’
The Islamabad High Court was hearing a case against Imran’s petition challenging a Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) notification banning live telecast of the former premier’s speeches that was suspended by the court on August 29th.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah raised concerns over the former prime minister’s statements passed at a rally in Faisalabad yesterday.
The PTI Chief on Sunday lashed out at the PPP and the PML-N — major coalition partners in the incumbent government — saying both parties were opposing snap elections because they wanted to “appoint an army chief of their choice” in November to save their skin in corruption cases.
“Was the statement given at a rally constitutional and right,” Justice Minallah asked as the court took up PTI’s petition today.
“Can anyone say that a general of the armed forces is not a patriot?” he questioned Imran’s counsel before adding “did you hear Imran Khan’s statements yesterday? The armed forces were rescuing the people while those statements were made. Can anyone justify those statements?” Deploring the PTI chief’s comments as “irresponsible” CJ Minallah said that “do you want the court to give them a free license?”
“Remember that when you give a statement, the impact is greater,” the judge added further.
CJ Minaullah warns Imran not to ‘expect relief from courts’
The media regulatory authority imposed a ban on the live broadcasting of speeches by the PTI chairman on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect on August 20th.
