Imran's sister to file contempt petition against PM

He said the second contempt petition was being filed by Uzma Khan over the alleged non-compliance with directions to arrange and facilitate Imran Khan's meetings with his family members and phone calls with his sons. However, the directions, he said, had been blatantly violated by the respondent government functionaries.

He said 13 days had passed since the order, but the government had allowed only two meetings between Imran Khan and one of his sisters, Noreen Niazi. None of his other family members, including Uzma Khan, had been allowed to meet him.

Interestingly, Noreen Niazi was also not allowed to meet Imran Khan on Tuesday. Similarly, the proposed contempt petition states that the respondent government functionaries had failed to arrange phone calls between Imran Khan and his sons, who had not been allowed to speak to him since March.

The petition states that the directions contained in the August 18 order were clear, unambiguous, unequivocal and fully capable of implementation. They were also issued in the presence of the Advocate General Islamabad and the Additional Attorney General of Pakistan.

"No portion requires any further interpretation, clarification or modification," it states. Therefore, the respondent government functionaries, being the officials responsible for implementing the directions, were under an absolute legal obligation to comply with the order "in letter and spirit",.

It further states that even if any clarification or modification of the order had been required, the government was required to file an application in the petitions under paragraph 14(d) of the August 18 order.

The provision states that if the government or any of its functionaries has any complaint regarding the misuse of the facilities granted under the order, the government or the concerned officer shall be at liberty to move an appropriate application before the court.

"The refusal on the part of the government functionaries to arrange and facilitate Imran Khan meetings with his family members and phone calls with his sons leaves no manner of doubt that they have consciously chosen to disregard and violate the order.

This is a case of deliberate and wilful disobedience and violation of the order, interference with the process of law and obstruction of the judicial process. ""The respondent government functionaries conduct has the effect of undermining and lowering the authority of this court and of bringing it into disrespect, ridicule and contempt," it read.

Khalid Yousaf Chaudhry said Imran Khan was currently unable to file such a petition because the relevant jail authorities at the Adiala Jail, including the superintendent, had refused to allow him to execute a vakalatnama in favour of the advocate on record. "Such conduct of the jail authorities, especially Respondent No. 4, is in keeping with their past behaviour.

" the second contempt petition, the SC will be requested to initiate contempt proceedings under Article 204 of the Constitution against the respondents, including the prime minister, for their wilful, deliberate and contumacious disobedience of and violation of the August 18 order.

The petition will also request the court to direct the government to arrange and facilitate weekly meetings between Imran Khan and his family members, including all his sisters and his cousin Qasim Zaman, as well as phone calls between Imran Khan and his sons twice a week. Uzair Karamat Bhandari is representing Uzma Khan in the matter.

The hearing of the first contempt petition is fixed for September 16. Since the August 18 order, PTI has continuously approached the SC seeking compliance with its directions. Two early-hearing applications have also been filed seeking fixation of the first contempt petition against the prime minister and others.

A three-judge bench led by Justice Shahid Waheed and comprising Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim will hear the matter on September 16.