Imran Khan's party holds nationwide protests against 'minus-one formula'

Islamabad [Pakistan], September 10 (ANI): Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's party has called for nationwide protests on Saturday against the "minus-one formula", a term used by PTI to describe the government's attempts to try and disqualify PTI Chairman from elections, media reports said.
The PTI has called for the protests to express their solidarity with their chief Imran Khan. This is a fresh phase of its anti-government campaign which was announced by PTI, Pakistan's local media outlet Dawn.
In a tweet, Imran Khan had said, "Tomorrow our Gujranwala jalsa will be the last of our present phase of Haqiqi Azadi Movement. I will announce the next critical phase at the jalsa. Imported govt and its handlers are so petrified that nation is standing firmly behind PTI they are desperately moving on Minus 1 formula."
Other PTI leaders said that shelving of by-elections in 13 constituencies of the National Assembly, of which Khan was contesting in nine, endorsed their apprehension that Khan could be disqualified from holding a public office, as per Dawn.
At a press briefing, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry warned that "there will be no democracy in the country if Imran Khan is removed from the political arena".
Imran to unveil next phase of anti-govt drive on Saturday.
The Islamabad capital city police Saturday summoned PTI Chairman Imran Khan again to appear before a joint investigation team (JIT) probing a terrorism case against him. The notice was issued after the former prime minister failed to appear before the JIT at the Margalla Police Station in a case lodged against him for allegedly threatening a lower court judge, Zeba Chaudhry.
The notice mentioned that Khan is on bail in the case till September 12, therefore, he should appear before the investigation team at 5 pm Saturday to ensure that he answers its questions.
The Islamabad High Court on Thursday decided to indict the former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on September 22 after giving an "unsatisfactory" response in the contempt of court case.
During the hearing of the case, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah said, "Imran Khan's response was not satisfactory" and added that Imran Khan would be indicted in a contempt case after two weeks on September 22, ARY News reported.
As the court was all set to announce its verdict in the contempt of court case for threatening Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry, PTI Chief requested the court to allow him to speak.
Shortly after the verdict was announced, in an informal conversation with reporters outside the courtroom, the former PM said he wanted to speak during the proceedings but was not allowed to do so.
During the court hearing, the judge directed the Khan's counsel Hamid Khan to read section 9 of the contempt of court ordinance. "District courts are a red line for our court," the IHC Chief Justice said as quoted by ARY News.
Justice Babar Sattar, one of the five-member bench, said that during the proceedings the show-cause sent to Imran Khan clearly states that he has committed criminal and judicial contempt.
"Do you submit a similar response if you've uttered similar words against a supreme court or a high court judge?" the IHC CJ asked Hamid Khan, adding that district court judges are more important than the higher judiciary.
PTI Chief seems to repeat the same thing as the last time. On August 31, IHC said that Imran Khan's reply in the contempt proceedings was 'unsatisfactory' and noted that it was not a reply of a leader of his stature.
However, the court provided another opportunity for Imran Khan to provide an appropriate and well-thought-out response. Meanwhile, almost immediately after the IHC had given Imran Khan seven days to submit another reply,
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, "In my view apology or no apology doesn't make any difference", and that if the court really wanted to improve the system it should launch an inquiry into the custodial torture of Shahbaz Gill, Jamil Farouqi and Haleem Adil Sheikh.
While speaking with Pakistani media portal The News International, Advocate of the Pakistani Supreme Court Salman Akram Raja said, "There are no rules cast in stone about the circumstances in which an alleged contemner might be pardoned. Every case has its own context. There is no rule that a contemner who has not sought pardon on the first date is not to be pardoned on account of a later apology. It is the sincerity of the apology and the grievousness of the contempt that matters." (ANI)