IHC gives Awan till Saturday to submit written response in contempt case

Firdous Ashiq Awan fails to submit written explanation on why she should not be convicted of contempt of court

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday gave Special Advisor to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan until Saturday to submit a written explanation on why she should not be convicted for contempt of court.

Awan had been served a contempt notice over her criticism of the high court’s decision to grant former premier Nawaz Sharif bail on medical grounds. After accepting her unconditional apology, the court served another contempt notice and instructed her to submit a written explanation.

The notice said Awan "attempted to give an impression" that the IHC had extended "special dispensation" to the former premier. It also observed that her October 29 statement "amounts to prejudicing the pending proceedings".

"By doing so, you prima-facie made an attempt to influence proceedings of a pending appeal and acted with intent to thwart the course of justice and thereby committed criminal contempt."

Firdous Ashiq Awan gets another contempt notice from IHC

Court proceedings

During the hearing, single-judge bench presided by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah was informed by Awan’s lawyer that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader had not submitted the written explanation yet.

Awan maintained she had not maligned the court in her 20-year long political career. She tendered another unconditional apology.

Justice Minallah observed that the high court was a target of similar critique in 2014 when it halted arrests of protesters by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). “A high court bar member filed an urgent appeal on a holiday.”

The IHC chief justice said the high court will follow the law and not offer discounts to anyone. “Even a hardened criminal deserves a fair trial.”

A picture of me with Supreme Court judges is being propagated as a meeting with PML-N members, said Justice Minallah. “What does it mean when the government itself speaks of a deal? The government may let go but the judiciary won’t.”

Adjourning the hearing till Monday, the high court gave Awan till Saturday to submit the written explanation.