Protest outside SC: Insult of judiciary not to be tolerated, says CJP

Says real lions are the judges who will pull country out of crisis

ISLAMABAD: Expressing displeasure over a protest by female workers of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) outside the Supreme Court on Friday, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar has declared that defamation of judiciary will not be tolerated.

“We are showing patience and ignoring many things but defamation of judiciary will not be tolerated,” the CJP said on Monday while heading a three-judge bench hearing a case about the appointment of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) chairman in line with the media commission’s recommendation.

The PML-N workers chanted slogans against judiciary outside the Supreme Court’s premises after announcement of SC’s April 13 verdict on permanent disqualification of lawmakers, including deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.



“Instead of using female workers as shield, they should show courage and come forward for protesting and chanting slogans against judiciary,” the CJP said.

Apparently referring to the PML-N’s election symbol, the CJP said he did not know any ‘loin’ but then motioned to other members of the bench and said: “They [judges] are the real lions who will pull out the country from crisis. At least the judiciary should be given as much respect as you give to any elder.”

Another member of the bench, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, also obliquely alluded to the incident of firing on the residence of apex court judge Justice Ijazul Ahsan and said attack on the judiciary had gone beyond verbal criticism. He said freedom of media is linked with independence of judiciary.

When a lawyer said the legal community stands by the judges, Justice Saeed said: “There is no need to rescue the judiciary but there should be respect for judiciary.”

The CJP said if the judges were wrong, they would stop giving remarks. He admitted that his statement about Indian politician Lalu Prasad Yadav being illiterate was wrong. However, he said, a TV anchor made a big deal out if it.

Meanwhile, the bench excluded the name of State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb from a committee constituted to select Pemra chairman, with the CJP saying that Marriyum would be busy delivering statements and would not have time for committee’s work.

Now the information secretary will replace the minister in the committee.



Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana said the government had formed a seven-member committee to select Pemra chairman. He said the committee, constituted after securing the premier’s approval, also included prominent journalists and the Pakistan Broadcasting Association (PBA) chairman.

The commission will nominate a three-member panel to select chairman. The CJP asked what had been done to amend Pemra laws. Justice Sheikh Azmat questioned if there was any clause regulating fake news, adding that fake news had been declared as offence in Malaysia.

Rana said it was imperative to curb the proliferation of such information. The CJP said the court wanted to see Pemra as an independent body as there should be no influence of the government. Later, the bench asked all stakeholders to prepare proposals for amending Pemra’s laws.

During the hearing of another case, the chief justice rejected the propaganda that the SC had asked the government to regularise Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan’s Bani Gala house.