Another contempt petition filed against Ahsan Iqbal

Petitioner claims former interior minister uttered anti-judiciary remarks

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court was moved against former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal who allegedly continued to use contemptuous language against the judiciary. This was despite being let off with a warning for the same offence just three weeks ago.

The petition was filed at the LHC through senior advocate Azhar Siddique who contended that the former federal minister did not pay heed to the orders of the LHC full bench which had earlier accepted his apology. Iqbal also assured he would refrain from issuing remarks, such as he did, against the country’s top judge during a speech in Islamabad.

The counsel claimed Iqbal issued a statement against judiciary when the Islamabad High Court released convicted former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif. The counsel said the PML-N leader’s repeated anti-judiciary remarks amounted to ignoring court directions and fulfilling his commitment.

He asked that the court initiate contempt proceedings against Ahsan Iqbal over his allegedly contemptuous remarks against the judiciary.

On September 10, a three-member LHC bench, led by Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, accepted the apology of Ahsan Iqbal and dismissed contempt of court proceedings against his remarks aimed at the Supreme Court chief justice.

The judge observed that the former interior minister’s conduct with the judiciary had been polite ever since the contempt notice was issued to him. “You respected the courts and hope you will maintain this in future,” Justice Naqvi remarked.

The former minister submitted a written and unconditional apology before surrendering himself to the court’s mercy. Iqbal reasoned that he never thought of disgracing or disobeying the courts. He said that being former interior minister, he was privy to some information about some foreign elements conspiring against the country’s stability. “We all have to work together for the stability of the country.”