Shahzad Akbar denies any links with Iftikharuddin Mirza

Report submitted by FIA maintains PM's aide had no acquaintance with accused cleric

ISLAMABAD:

Advisor to Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Mirza Shahzad Akbar completely denied on Thursday his links with cleric Iftikharuddin Mirza - issued a notice by the Supreme Court for using abusive language against the judiciary, especially Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

A report was submitted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) related to Mirza’s case. Akbar also joined the investigation and had his statement recorded.

The report stated that the PM’s aide was neither acquainted with Mirza nor did he have any relation to him regarding the matter.

The FIA said that the bail of the main individual accused had already been rejected by an anti-terrorism court. However, co-accused Akbar Ali got bail on July 18 on the grounds of being a juvenile.

The report also stated that the complainant, Abdul Waheed Dogar, also denied having any links with Mirza. However, he admitted that he has had one meeting with the PM's advisor, when he gave an application to the Assets Recovery Unit (ARU).

On July 2, the Supreme Court (SC) expressed dissatisfaction over the unconditional apology submitted by the Rawalpindi-based cleric days after the court issued him a notice for using derogatory language.

The two-judge bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed made the decision to initiate contempt proceedings against Mirza.

The bench issued a show-cause notice as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him. The court asked him to submit a reply within one week.

During the hearing, Justice Ijazul Ahsan asked whether cleric Mirza's remarks fall under civilised language. "This language is not even used in the streets," he added.

The bench also questioned the veracity of the affidavit submitted by Mirza.

Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan maintained that Mirza tried to destroy the reputation of the judiciary.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director-General Wajid Zia also appeared before the bench.

In June, CJP Ahmed took suo motu notice of the footage doing rounds on social media a day after Justice Isa's wife Sarina Isa filed an application at Islamabad's Secretariat Police Station to register a first information report (FIR).

Sarina Isa had complained that her husband had received a death threat via a video in which the intimidator (Mirza) could be heard saying, "Isa should be shot publicly."

"Whoever is caught in embezzlement, whether it be Faez Isa or anyone else, should be executed through a firing squad. Those who indulge in such activities must be hanged and the entire city should be invited to watch it," the person in the video said.

"People should be asked to come to Fawara Chowk [in Rawalpindi] to see someone being hanged," he added.