ISLAMABAD (National Times) – A five-judge larger bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) will resume hearing against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former prime minister Imran Khan today (Thursday) on the charge of contempt of court for threatening Additional Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry during a public rally.

The Islamabad High Court in its previous hearing on Aug 31 gave PTI Chairman Imran Khan another chance to submit a “well-considered” response in the contempt proceedings initiated against him for his controversial remarks about District and Sessions Judge Zeba Chaudhry.

The PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday submitted a supplementary reply in contempt of court case against him in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Former prime minister, in his reply expressed deep regrets over his unintentional utterances and said that he could not think of speaking anything against the judiciary.

He further said that his words were not meant to hurt the feelings of Judge Zeba Chaudhry. “The utterances were never meant to interfere with or in any way influence the course of administration of justice,” he said.

The former premier further said that he had great regard for the lower judiciary and that he supported women’s rights in Pakistan.

Imran Khan said that he was ‘not aware’ that the matter was sub judice when he made the comment and added that he was moved by the visuals of Shahbaz Gill gasping for breath.

However, he urged the court to discharge him from the case under the Islamic principles of forgiveness and restraint.