Contempt plea against ANP chief: Aimal Wali apologises to court for harsh words

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter President Aimal Wali Khan apologised during hearing in Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday for using harsh words against court.

The PHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan on Thursday heard the contempt of court petition against the ANP President Aimal Wali Khan. The con tempt plea was filed by a PTI leader Fazal Muhammad Khan who was represented by Barrister Sarwar Muzaffar Shah in the court.

A large number of lawyers affiliated with the ANP and other supporters of the party were present in the courtroom. The chief justice ordered the staff to get the courtroom vacated from them.

The ANP chief denied making any threat to the court but admitted that the words he used were harsh for which he apologized.

The chief justice said if you made a threat, we, too, are Pakhtuns and know well how to respond to these threats. “But my office calls for tolerance as an important part,” he remarked.

The chief justice said he had a legal career spanning 32 years. He told Aimal Wali that he looked upon him as his son and that was why he was addressing him likewise.

The chief justice asked the staff to play the video clip where Aimal Wali had threatened the court and raised a finger at the chief justice.

The chief justice said the threat made by Aimal Wali fell under the anti-terrorism law but as the defendant was a young politician, he was getting lenient.

Barrister Ameerullah submitted to the court that the ANP leaders respected the court and would never want disrespect to the courts and the judges. He said the interview was the result of a misunderstanding.

“We hope you will improve your behaviour. It is not something limited to but related to the judiciary. I have decided several cases as an Ehtesab judge and your family members are among them.”

The chief justice said the court gave equal treatment to all parties and that he had no political agenda to further. The court would dispose of the case if Aimal Wali tells the media that he had not made any threat and that his words were harsh. He adjourned the hearing.

Meanwhile, angry workers of ANP on Thursday attacked a PTI leader with punches and kicks on the promises of the Peshawar High Court who had filed the contempt of court petition against their leader Aimal Wali Khan.

The incident happened after the PTI leader Fazal Muhammad Khan was leaving the court premises after a hearing into the petition by PHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan.

ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan was accompanied by a large number of the lawyers affiliated with his party and other supporters when he was coming out of the PHC building after attending the hearing.

The ANP supporters became enraged when they saw the petitioner, Fazal Muhammad Khan, who was leaving the court. They hurled abuses at him and hit him with punches and kicks.

A few flowerpots were damaged as the trouble lasted for some time. The police came to the rescue of the PTI leader and escorted him out of the PHC premises safely. The enraged ANP workers wanted to chase him but the police shut the gates of the court, thus saving the petitioner.

The video clip of the incident was posted on the social media platforms which was shared multiple times.

Meanwhile, PHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Khan on Thursday said the people who came to court should not be harassed. He remarked when he was hearing a writ petition filed against the habeas corpus of PTI leader Aftab Alam following his arrest on the court premises.

He warned that strict action would be taken against those officials, who arrested the accused from the court premises.

Earlier, High Court Bar Association general secretary advocates Lajbar Khan and Sikandar Hayat Shah informed the court that huge police personnel had been deputed outside the PHC and those, who came for the bail or seeking other legal remedy were arrested.

The CJ said that such people should file contempt petitions if arrested by police despite obtaining bail from the court. “It is an insult to us if accused are being arrested on the high court premises despite obtaining bail. I will not make any compromise on the sanctity and prestige of the court,” he added.

Later, the PHC CJ referred the petition to a two-member bench headed by Justice Ijaz Anwar. The bench after hearing arguments from both the parties issued directions to Kohat Police to produce the accused in the court today (Friday).