IHC dismisses contempt petition against PM

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday dismissed a petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other members of the incumbent government, in lieu of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) long march.

The petition, heard by Chief Justice Athar Minallah, was declared inadmissible as barrister Kulsoom Khaliq sought contempt of court proceedings against the federal cabinet for lodging FIRs against PTI workers.

During the hearing, the high court enquired, “when did the Supreme Court declare that an FIR cannot be lodged?”

The court further probed how the arrest of PTI workers affected Kulsoom Khaliq.

Read IHC orders release of 70 detained PTI workers

The lawyer responded that her profession prompted her to take the matter up adding that multiple cases against PTI members were registered within the courts of the capital city.

“Cases were registered against PTI workers on May 25 at 8 pm. Nineteen cases have been registered, and the government has violated the decision of the Supreme Court,” the barrister upheld.

Kulsoom Khaliq said that the district administration had registered cases in violation of the decision of the apex court, which had then ordered the release of party workers. “Cases have been made against the people of my party,” she said.

However, CJ Minallah questioned the lawyer’s intentions: “What was done against you? Was your home raided?”

The court added that protests must be held with the permission of the district administration, a matter that the SC has disposed of. Subsequently, the IHC dismissed the petition.