IHC serves contempt of court notice to Firdous Ashiq Awan

SAPM on Information & Broadcasting had criticised IHC decision to grant Nawaz Sharif bail on medical grounds

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday issued a contempt of court notice to Special Advisor to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan over her critisism of judiciary for granting former premier Nawaz Sharif bail on medical grounds.

The show-cause notice said that Awan conducted a press conference where she said that the IHC decision “will open a floodgate of similar requests by prisoners suffering from various diseases”.

“While maligning the honourable courts [she] went to say that the case of the accused [Nawaz] was heard during the evening ‘as a special dispensation’,” read the notice.

IHC observed that Awan “made an attempt to scandalise the honourable court in the eyes of the public, thereby, tried to lower the esteem of the judiciary.”

The notice observed that Awan’s statement was ‘unwarranted’ for a spokesperson of the federal government.

“The above act of yours prima-facie attracts a penal action against you under the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003.”

Awan has been directed to appear before the high court in person at 9:00am on November 1.