“Do you think that anyone in the army is not a patriot?” court asks Imran Khan
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday asked whether PTI Chairman Imran Khan wanted to hurt the morale of the armed forces by delivering anti-military speeches asking that, “Do you think that anyone in the army is not a patriot?”
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) wrapped up a plea against a ban on live telecast of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s speeches and directed PEMRA to act as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court in this regard.
The hearing on the petition against the PEMRA order banning the direct speech of Imran Khan was conducted by the Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court, Athar Minallah, while Barrister Ali Zafar appeared in the court on behalf of Imran Khan.
PEMRA’s counsel told the court that the purpose of issuing the show-cause notice was only to delay the speech, to which the court inquired why you do not implement the delay policy.
Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Justice Athar Minallah remarked that, ‘responsible people make irresponsible statements, you have to act according to the law, the court will not interfere.’
Lawyer PEMRA said that our instructions were not for any particular person, on which the court asked if you agree with the last order of this court.
Moving on to Khan’s lawyer, the IHC CJ asked whether he heard the PTI chairman’s speech in Faisalabad a day earlier, where he said that the government is delaying elections to appoint its choice of an army chief.
“Did you hear Imran Khan’s speech from yesterday? Do political leaders deliver such speeches? Will everything be put at stake just for the sake of a ‘Game of Thrones’?” the IHC CJ asked, making a reference to the popular television drama in which nine noble families wage war against each other to gain control over a mythical land.
Chief Justice IHC Athar Minallah further said that the PTI chief must not expect relief from the courts if he was hell-bent on doing “all this.”
The Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court remarked that by making such statements about the Pakistan Army, do you want to demoralize them?
He said that what was said yesterday can be justified? When you make a statement in public, it has more impact.
The Islamabad High Court disposed of Imran Khan’s petition by ordering PEMRA to regulate speeches and statements in the light of the Supreme Court’s decision.
PEMRA had banned the live broadcast of Imran Khan’s speech, which was challenged by Chairman PTI in the Islamabad High Court.
