CJP Bandial has said that he was criticised for saying “good to see you”, adding that he greets every applicant in his court in the same way. The CJP had used the phrase after seeing PTI chief Imran Khan during a hearing last week.

“Good to see you. After a while you have come to my court,” he said while talking to lawyer Asghar Sabzwari at the hearing of a civil case on Tuesday. “Good to see you. I greet everyone in this way.”

Justice Bandial said he holds a deep respect for everyone, adding that “etiquette and manners” were necessary for everyone.

The development comes after the government leaders took exception to his remarks when Khan appeared in court in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The Supreme Court declared the arrest “unlawful”.

After the apex court’s order, the Islamabad High Court gave blanket relief to the PTI chief in multiple cases in a single day. Many believed it was “unprecedented”.

Though the government slammed the judiciary for the apparent biasedness towards the former PM, they cried foul over the CJP’s remarks.

“It is sad to welcome the accused. You should have gotten up and hugged him,” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Sunday. He reiterated it on the floor of the House on Monday.

On Tuesday, the chief justice again used the “good to see you” remark while hearing a petition against NAB amendments. This happened when the government’s lawyer Makhdoom Ali Khan appeared via video link.

“You are far away from us,” said CJP Bandial when Ali Khan joined the court proceedings.

“The situation was such that I was not sure that I would be able to reach the court, nowadays even social media is not working to get information,” the lawyer said. To this, the CJP replied that “good to see you” was also run in the wrong way on social media.

In reaction to the development, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz wondered how someone could greet someone in such a way who has allegedly looted billions of money.