Imran’s remarks on Nawaz wooing judges: PM was referring to 1997 incident, AGP tells SC

ISLAMABAD: Providing clarification to the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks about Nawaz wooing judges, Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan apprised the top court Tuesday the premier had referred to the 1997 incident in his Kamalia rally speech.

A five-member larger bench of the apex court — headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Aijazul Ahsan, Justice Mazhar Alam, and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel — resumed the hearing of the presidential reference seeking the interpretation of Article 63(A) of the Constitution of Pakistan andSupreme Court Bar Association’s (SCBA) plea against political rallies in the federal capital on Tuesday. At the outset of the hearing, AGP Khalid Javed Khan apprised the court that he spoke to PM Imran Khan over the apex court's disapproval of his remarks regarding the judges.

"I want to issue a statement on behalf of the prime minister in the court," he added. "PM Imran Khan highly respects the judges and he had referred to the incident of wooing judges that happened in 1997 while addressing the Kamalia rally," the attorney general said. The AGP added that the premier "believes in the impartiality of the judges and the independence of the judiciary."

During the previous hearing, CJP Bandial had warned the political leaders of the country against influencing the courts through political statements.