Pak court issues show-cause notice to Imran Khan

Islamabad: A top court in Pakistan on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to former prime minister Imran Khan and summoned him on August 31 in contempt proceedings initiated against him for passing controversial remarks against a female judge at a rally here.

A three-member bench of the Islamabad High Court, headed by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and comprising Justice Babar Sattar and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, also asked Khan to personally appear before the bench on August 31.

The court on Monday constituted a larger bench to initiate contempt of court proceedings against 69-year-old Khan for "threatening" Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry during his speech in Islamabad on Saturday.

During the hearing, Justice Kayani termed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman's remarks 'inappropriate' and said the case is not only confined to the IHC but the message is going to the highest level, adding that people on social media should be controlled.

"Imran is consistently giving remarks against the judiciary and the ECP. This should come to a stop," he said.