ISLAMABAD: A five-member bench of Islamabad High Court in a unanimous decision discharged the contempt of court notice against PTI chief Imran Khan on Monday and accepted the former premier’s apology for apparently threatening Additional District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry during a rally in Islamabad in August.

With the decision, the contempt case proceedings were ended against Imran.

Imran’s lawyer told the court that a third reply had been submitted to the court.

“We have read your affidavit. Is there anything else you would like to add?” Justice Minallah asked Imran. He added that prima facie this was a contempt of court case but it was being dismissed due to Imran’s conduct.

“We take a lot of care in contempt of court cases,” Justice Minallah said, adding that the IHC was “discharging” the notice issued Imran, effectively ending contempt proceedings against the PTI chief.

A judicial assistant highlighted that the PTI chief did not offer an unconditional apology in his affidavit. To this, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah asked the judicial assistant to submit his written objections.

“Imran Khan proved his good intentions and apologised,” he added.

“This is the unanimous decision of the larger bench,” he remarked.

The PTI chief addressed reporters’ questions in an informal chat upon his arrival at the court.

“Don’t know,” he said when a reporter asked what is going to happen today. To another question that whether he would arrive on rostrum today, Imran smiled. “People have been depressed by the system.”

“One thing has become clear in the country that there is a separate law for the powerful and a separate law for others,” he said, “there is one FIR left against me and that is about eating bread with tea.”

He added that doors were open for talks when there was negotiation. “There is no negotiation at gunpoint,” he said and reiterated that his party would not sit in the National Assembly.

The PTI chief added that check distribution would begin across the country to help flood victims from Saturday.

The former prime minister has already submitted an affidavit in the case since the last hearing when he dodged a contempt of court indictment after offering an apology to Chaudhry, whom he had allegedly issued a threat during a public rally in Islamabad in August.

Last week, Khan suddenly turned up at Judge Chaudhry’s court to offer an apology but she was on leaves.

However, Khan has reportedly not offered an unconditional apology in his affidavit that he submitted two days ago.

“If the court imposes additional conditions, I will take them into account and if the court is still not satisfied, then I am ready to take additional steps as well,” the affidavit read.

“During the hearing, I realised that I might have crossed red line while delivering my speech on August 20,” Imran said in the affidavit. “If the judge got the impression that I crossed the line, then I am ready to apologise.”

An unconditional apology is often seen as the first step from the accused in contempt hearings. But, it also entails the risk of conviction and sentencing, which could lead to disqualification from public office.

More: System takes a month to get apology from Imran Khan in contempt case

The larger bench under IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah will hear the case today.

The authorities have enhanced security at court premises and around it as it was seen during the previous two hearings.

Case background

The contempt charges stemmed from a fiery speech Imran Khan made on August 20 at Islamabad’s F9 park, in which he threatened police officials and a judge who had approved a detention order against his chief of staff, Shahbaz Gill.

He told the gathering that his party would bring lawsuits against the female judge and senior Islamabad police officers for their roles in the alleged custodial torture of Gill.

“We will not spare you,” the PTI chief vowed and added that his party would take action against them.

Islamabad police later charged him under anti-terrorism act for threatening senior police officials and a female magistrate.

The FIR, registered on the complaint of Magistrate Ali Javed in Islamabad’s Margalla Police Station, stated that Imran Khan’s speech was aimed to spread unrest and terror among the people.

“At the PTI’s rally at F-9 park a day ago, Imran Khan, during his address, had suddenly started frightening and threatening top police officials and respected female additional sessions judge,” it stated.

The IHC summoned the PTI chairperson to explain his controversial remarks against the judge.

Imran Khan, in his written response submitted to the court earlier this week, expressed regret rather than an outright apology, saying his “unintentional utterances” at the rally did not mean to threaten the judicial officer.

The court declared Imran Khan’s response “unsatisfactory” and decided to indict him later this month.

On September 22, the IHC ordered authorities to drop a charge of terrorism against the PTI chief in connection with the speech, however, the contempt charge remains in play.