SC requested to defer hearing of contempt plea against Imran.

PTI chief Imran Khan's lawyer submitted an application to the Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday to defer a hearing in a contempt case filed against the former prime minister for allegedly flouting a May 25 court order that defined the limits for his party's 'Azadi March' at the time.

The deferral was sought on the grounds of Imran's hospitalisation after he was wounded in Thursday's gun attack in Wazirabad and would not be able to submit a reply sought by the court in the previous hearing.

The interior ministry had approached the SC for contempt of court charges against Imran on October 13 for allegedly flouting the court's order in which, the petition recalled, the apex court directed the PTI to hold its 'Azadi March' gathering in a ground located between sectors H-9 and G-9.

The plea stated the that court had designated the area for the protest in view of the categorical assurances on behalf of the party's top leadership and their counsel that their rally would not cause any inconvenience or blockage of the Srinagar Highway or trouble the public and that the rally would be conducted in a peaceful and lawful manner.

However, Imran and his supporters made their way towards D-Chowk in alleged contravention of court orders, the plea alleged.

At the last hearing, the SC had given Imran a chance to explain the alleged flouting of the court order and sought a detailed reply from him by November 5 (today).

The application said Imran had been hospitalised due to an 'unfortunate incident' - a gun attack that caused him an injury in the shin - and could not submit a reply.

It prayed the court not to hold the hearing scheduled on November 7 and not fix the case for a hearing for now.

The govt's plea

The federal government, through the interior ministry, had approached the Supreme Court for initiating contempt of court proceedings against Imran for violating its May 25 order, wherein the PTI was restricted from holding its 'Azadi March' near Peshawar Mor between the H-9 and G-9 areas of Islamabad. However, Imran and his supporters made their way towards D-Chowk in alleged contravention of court orders.

According to the petition, the apex court had in its May order directed the PTI to hold a gathering on a ground located between...