PHC issues contempt notice to Imran Khan

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday issued contempt of court notice to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for using derogatory language and issuing threatening statement against doctors who had challenged the Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act 2015 and got a stay order.
“We are issuing contempt of court notice to PTI Chairman Imran Khan. The PTI chief is directed to submit a reply and explain his position for passing statements about the cases, which are pending before the court,” a division bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Younas Thahim stated in the short order.
However, the case was transferred to the PHC chief justice bench and November 12 was fixed for the next hearing.
The court took notice on the press cutting submitted before the court, in which the PTI chief had used derogatory language and also issued threatening statement to the doctors, who had challenged the Medical Teaching Institution Reforms Act 2015.
“The main reason I am here today is to convey a message to a group of doctors that I will fight against you till the last stage. We will defeat the corrupt doctors. We will publish your names in newspapers to expose you. Our workers will stage a protest against the doctors who are opposing the reforms,” Imran Khan warned the doctors at his media briefing on November 3.
The petitioners’ lawyer submitted that Imran Khan had issued threats to the petitioner doctors and also committed contempt of court to pass such statements on the cases pending before the court.
He said the PTI chief and government should defend the cases in the court, rather than publically defaming and threatening the petitioners.
The Teachers Association, Khyber Medical College had challenged the Medical Teaching Institution Reforms Act 2015 through its president Dr Qaisar Inyat, through a lawyer Mohibullah Kakakhel. The court then issued a stay order in the cases and directed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to submit reply in the petition.
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), through its provincial president Dr Hussain Ahmad Haroon, also challenged the appointments of Board of Governors (BoGs) at hospitals. The bench had also restrained the BoGs from working till next order of the court.
The court had also asked the advocate general Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to appear and assist the court in the case.During hearing, the court asked Additional Advocate General Sohail Khan to inform the AG to appear in the case. He informed the bench that he was ill. The court observed that it was the fourth time the case was being adjourned due to non-availability of the AG. The bench said the petitioners’ lawyers had argued the petition, but the court was not assisted by the AG office in the case.
The bench observed that if the AG did not appear, the court will pass its order.The bench restrained the BoGs from functioning in all the four teaching hospitals of the province till next order of the court.