The Supreme Court has ordered PTI chief and former prime minister Imran Khan to follow law and obey rules during his party’s long march.

During the hearing of the contempt case against PTI Chief Imran Khan, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandia has remarked that the Supreme Court uses its authority in a cautious way saying it initiates contempt proceedings only when its orders are flouted.

A five-judge larger bench of the Supreme Court headed by CJP Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi, and Justice Mazahir Ali Naqvi heard the contempt of court case against former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Friday. 

At the outset of the hearing, the PTI lawyer submitted a detailed reply from Imran to the court. 

Chief Justice of Pakistan Bandial remarked that the court hoped the PTI chief must have submitted a reply based on truth and facts. He said the court could not issue any order at this juncture. He remarked that the court always used its authority carefully and initiated contempt proceedings only when its orders were disobeyed.

Lawyer Salman Aslam Butt appeared before the court on behalf of the federal government. He said that the government had submitted its reply in detail. He said jammers were not installed during the PTI long march on May 25. He contended that the tweets of PTI leaders were available posted on that day. He said how come it was possible to post a tweet if there were jammers adding that the PTI leaders were also giving interviews to the media. 

He said he submitted a USB to the court along with his reply which contained PTI leaders’ tweets records showing that jammers were not in place on that day. 

The chief justice remarked that he hoped that Imran’s lawyer would give a truthful reply regarding this assertion. 

The court, however, allowed time to PTI lawyer Salman Akram Raja for submission of his reply. 

During hearing, the additional attorney general requested the court to bind the PTI to obey the law if it allowed the party to hold its rally.

On this, the top judge remarked that there was already the May 25 court order available in this regard. 

CJP Bandial said that he hoped that the PTI would act upon the law. He, however, ordered the party to obey the rules. 

Imran’s lawyer said that his client obeyed the law. 

The court ordered to provide the copy of miscellaneous application and government reply to the PTI chief’s lawyer and other parties. 

The court also directed to provide copies of the interior ministry’s miscellaneous reply and copies of the USB containing PTI leaders’ tweets to Imran Khan, Babar Awan and Faisal Farid Chaudhry. 

After that, the court adjourned the hearing till next week.