Talal Chaudhry's contempt case adjourned till March 8

Three-judge bench asks AAG to provide copy of CD to Chaudhry's counsel regarding his alleged contemptuous speeches

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)  leader Talal Chaudhry's contempt of court case till March 8.

The three-judge bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, has directed Additional Attorney General (AAG) Waqar Rana to provide a copy of the CD to Chaudhry's counsel regarding his alleged contemptuous speeches.



During Tuesday's hearing, defence counsel Kamran Murtaza requested the bench to provide a copy of the CD to him as there could be an element of tempering in the transcript regarding Chaudhry's speeches.

He also pleaded the bench that his client would not be available on March 8. The bench, thus, exempted Chaudhry from appearance in the next hearing.

Speaking to media outside the court, Chaudhry stated we supported Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) set up governments in Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa respectively, but both the parties did not do any work in their provinces, Express News reported.

"In the next elections, we will go to the masses and show them the work we have done for the past five years. Imran Khan and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will not be able to beat us even if they unite," he stated.

Speaking about the recent Senate elections, Chaudhry stated whoever has the majority in the Upper House, the Senate Chairman should be from that party, which in this case is PML-N.

On February 1, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar took suo motu notice of  Chaudhry’s ‘contemptuous speeches’ against the judiciary.

While addressing a public gathering in Jaranwala, the PML-N stalwart had said: “There was a time when the Kaabah was filled with idols and now the judiciary, the country’s highest institution, is also full of PCO [Provisional Constitution Order] idols.”

He went on to say, “Nawaz Sharif, throw them out, throw him out of the court. They will not give justice but will continue their injustices.”

Despite the unmatched services rendered by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif during his tenure as the prime minister, “they say that somebody else should become the prime minister”, he added.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) had already issued notices to Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Rana Sanaullah on a contempt of court petition regarding the same gathering.