SC serves contempt notices on 5 PPP leaders
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Staff Report
Source
* Leaders receive notices for their ‘anti-judiciary’ remarks
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has issued show-cause notices to five senior leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for their alleged contemptuous remarks about the judiciary after its December 1, 2011, order in the memogate case.
The court has also directed the respondents to submit their replies till January 13, explaining why the court should not initiate contempt-of-court proceedings against them for ridiculing the court’s December 1 order.
The court has issued show-cause notices to Babar Awan, Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah, PPP Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira, Information Minister Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan and adviser to the prime minister Farooq Awan.
A two-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Ahmad and Justice Athar Saeed, heard a suo motu case against the alleged use of contemptuous language about the judiciary by PPP senior leaders.
The court noted that sufficient material was available on record which warranted initiation of contempt proceedings against those who arranged and addressed the press conference at the Press Information Department.
The court asked Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq to explain whether those who had managed and addressed the press conference were representing the government or the PPP.
On this, the attorney general stated that he had already submitted a reply from the prime minister over the matter, in which the premier stated that it was PPP’s stance. He also read out the prime minister’s reply submitted in court on December 26.
On court order, the attorney general also read out contents of the press conference, in which derogatory remarks were made against the judiciary.
Justice Ather Saeed observed that the court order was criticised “contemptuously”. He said that government functionaries ridiculed the judiciary in flagrant violation of the dignity of courts.
Thursday, January 05, 2012
Staff Report
Source
* Leaders receive notices for their ‘anti-judiciary’ remarks
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has issued show-cause notices to five senior leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for their alleged contemptuous remarks about the judiciary after its December 1, 2011, order in the memogate case.
The court has also directed the respondents to submit their replies till January 13, explaining why the court should not initiate contempt-of-court proceedings against them for ridiculing the court’s December 1 order.
The court has issued show-cause notices to Babar Awan, Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah, PPP Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira, Information Minister Dr Firdaus Ashiq Awan and adviser to the prime minister Farooq Awan.
A two-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Ahmad and Justice Athar Saeed, heard a suo motu case against the alleged use of contemptuous language about the judiciary by PPP senior leaders.
The court noted that sufficient material was available on record which warranted initiation of contempt proceedings against those who arranged and addressed the press conference at the Press Information Department.
The court asked Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq to explain whether those who had managed and addressed the press conference were representing the government or the PPP.
On this, the attorney general stated that he had already submitted a reply from the prime minister over the matter, in which the premier stated that it was PPP’s stance. He also read out the prime minister’s reply submitted in court on December 26.
On court order, the attorney general also read out contents of the press conference, in which derogatory remarks were made against the judiciary.
Justice Ather Saeed observed that the court order was criticised “contemptuously”. He said that government functionaries ridiculed the judiciary in flagrant violation of the dignity of courts.
