Talal says ex-CJP Nisar asked him to give anti-Nawaz statement

• Talal Chaudhry says ex-CJP Saqib Nisar told him to give a statement against Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz.
• Says Imran is a habitual criminal. 
• Says the favouritism towards Imran should end now. 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Talal Chaudhry levelled a number of allegations against the former chief justice of Pakistan, Mian Saqib Nisar, saying the former CJP had asked him to give a statement against PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and party's vice-president Maryam Nawaz.

"Saqib Nisar indirectly called upon me to issue a statement against Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam," said Chaudhry while speaking in the Geo News programme "Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath" on Wednesday.

"I am not accusing him [ex-CJP Nisar]. I am just stating the facts." Talal said the judiciary should review all the sentences given by Saqib Nisar.

The PML-N leader pulled Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan to pieces, saying Khan is a habitual criminal. "If I was given a chance to answer again, I would probably get relief. But, I was denied any such chance," he said.

Commenting on the contempt of court case against Imran Khan, Talal said the PTI leaders present the justification for Imran's crimes by saying that he is very popular among the masses.

"I and [another PML-N leader and former privatisation minister] Daniyal Aziz were not warned. Instead, an indictment was filed against us. We kept trying to clean ourselves up in our cases, but the court did not listen," he said.

He said he submitted apologies to the court multiple times.

Imran Khan had already received a warning in contempt of court case in 2013, Chaudhry said, adding this favouritism should end. He [Imran] still today is challenging the court's jurisdiction but the court is giving him another chance, said Talal. 

"It seems that Imran is untouchable and we're unacceptable," he added.

Imran avoids apology

In a response submitted on August 30 to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) over a show-cause notice, Imran Khan did not apologise for threatening the additional sessions judge of Islamabad, Zeba Chaudhry. He, however, offered to withdraw his remarks “if they were inappropriate.”

The high court had issued him a notice in the terrorism case registered against him for threatening the judge.

"As someone who believes in rule of law and a strong independent justice system, the respondent does not believe in hurting the feelings of honourable judges.

"The respondent submits with humility that if words he uttered is regarded as inappropriate, he is willing to take them back," he said, urging the court to evaluate the speech within the context it was made.

Court dissatisfied with Imran's reply

On August 31, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed Imran to resubmit a "well-considered" response within the next seven days in the contempt of court case against him for threatening a female judge.

A five-member bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, and Justice Babar Sattar heard the case.

The IHC CJ, during the hearing, said he was "disappointed" by the response of Khan in the case. He asked him to review his response and submit it once more.

Without asking Khan to come to the rostrum, the court adjourned the hearing and ordered that the response can be submitted through the PTI chairman's counsel.