Action sought against anti-judiciary rant

Petitioner says former PM used foul language against apex court judges

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday issued notices to the federal government and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) in a contempt petition against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Safdar over their speeches which were allegedly against the judiciary.

Justice Shahid Karim issued the order on a petition moved by Amna Malik and sought replies by January 18.

The petitioner said disqualified former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam had continuously been attacking the judges of the Supreme Court. She said Sharif was also trying to discredit the apex judiciary. She said she approached PEMRA against the coverage of their speeches but it did not take any action in order to address this serious and alarming issue.

She said on January 6, 2018, in a public gathering held in Kot Momin, Sharif and his daughter Maryam criticised judges of SC.

“Dual standard of justice is not acceptable,” she quoted Sharif from his speech he made at the gathering. She said Maryam had stated: “Justice also will be restored one day.”

She requested the court to order PEMRA to ban speeches of Sharif and his daughter Maryam.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2018.