Former Pak PM Imran Khan willing to 'take back' controversial remarks against judge: Report

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 30 (ANI): After getting embroiled in a slew of legal battles, former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan is now offering to "take back" his controversial remarks regarding an additional district and sessions judge.
This reply came in response show-cause notice by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in contempt proceedings that saw the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief getting into a heated political battle with the country's coalition government.
"The respondent [Imran] submits with humility that if the words he uttered are regarded as inappropriate, he is willing to take them back," Khan stated in his reply, seen by Pakistan's Dawn that was submitted in the court.
The PTI chief's counsel maintained that the former Prime Minister had mistaken the additional sessions judge for the magistrate. "It was in this misconception that she was referred to a magistrate," it said.
"It is submitted that the respondent had no motive (ill-will) behind the said speech or remarks, nor were those directed specifically towards the judicial officer."
Earlier, the PTI chief had staged a rally in Islamabad to express solidarity with his chief of staff, Shahbaz Gill, after claims of torture in custody.
He warned the Islamabad inspector-general and deputy inspector-general that he would "not spare" them. Khan even vowed to file cases against them for subjecting Gill to alleged inhuman torture.
Last week, PTI chief Imran Khan said that he will help flood-affected people but would not stop the "Haqeeqi Azadi" campaign for real independence of the country.
The former PM is holding public rallies in different parts of the country as part of his mass mobilization drive before his 'final call' of the long march on Islamabad.
Khan said that a nation can only come out of a catastrophe by dealing with it together. "Our senior leadership met and we decided I would do[an] international telethon to raise funds for flood affected on Monday night," he said in an earlier tweet.
The former PM said that 'Imran Tigers', a term he uses for PTI's tiger force, will be activated to volunteer for relief work. "A committee under Sania Nishtar will be set up to identify and coordinate funds allocation based on needs," he added. (ANI)