Imran's counsel seeks time from SC in contempt case.

ISLAMABAD -- A senior counsel representing former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday requested the Supreme Court not to fix the contempt case moved by the federal government against his client for the time being.

The application has been moved just a day before a five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, is likely to resume the contempt proceedings against Mr Khan and his two counsel, Babar Awan and Faisal Fareed, for their alleged violation of the SC order and 'undertaking' regarding the May protest venue.

A visibly disturbed apex court over the apparent breach of trust committed by the PTI on May 25, in spite of categorical assurances given by its two counsel, had directed the party leadership last week to submit fresh replies in the contempt case instituted against its leadership.

In the fresh application, senior counsel Salman Akram Raja, who is representing Imran Khan in the case, recalled how on November 2, the counsel was directed to file a full response on behalf of Mr Khan after receiving instructions from his client.

Says it's impossible for him after Wazirabad shooting to furnish PTI chief's response on time set by apex court

The lawyer, however, explained that the Nov 3 incident of firing in Wazirabad resulted in hospitalisation of the PTI chief. Therefore, he said, it was not possible for him to file his client's response as desired by the SC to be filed by Saturday.

Moreover, the application said Mr Khan might undergo further surgery.

In its Oct 26 order, the SC observed it was necessary to seek for factual aspect of the breach of earlier undertaking and had ordered its office to furnish federal government's contempt petition and complete reports of the Islamabad Capital Territory, Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to the PTI leaders. The reports were submitted to the court, in response to the...