Pakistan: New Case Against Imran Khan After Ex-PM Summoned for Contempt Charges

The police claim that Khan violated Section 144 in the city during a protest gathering that occurred on 20 August.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed the citizens on the eve of Pakistan's Independence Day.

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Imran Khan)

In the latest development in the controversy surrounding ex-Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Islamabad police, on Tuesday, 23 August, registered another case against him, and top leaders of his party (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf), for violating a ban on public gatherings.

The police claimed that Khan and his supporters violated Section 144 in the city during a protest gathering that occurred on 20 August.

Meanwhile, on the same day, an Islamabad court summoned Khan to appear before the tribunal next week for contempt charges over the verbal threats that he directed at a judge during a rally over the weekend.

During his 19 August speech, Khan had threatened to file cases against Islamabad's inspector general of police and the deputy inspector general of police. "We won’t spare you," he had said.

Khan had also threatened the Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, who had approved the Islamabad Police's request to hold Shahbaz Gill, a senior PTI member, under sedition charges in remand for two days. The former PM essentially blamed the judiciary for having a "biased" attitude towards the PTI.

In response to his speech, a case was filed against him on 20 August under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act regarding his comments at the rally. He has, however, been granted protective bail till 25 August.

Additionally, Khan's speeches were found to be in violation of Article 19 of the Constitution and against the code of conduct for media by the country's top media regulating authority. The live telecast of his speeches, therefore, is banned at the moment.

Click here to read in detail about the full controversy.