LHC dismisses pleas against Maryam, others for scandalizing judiciary

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday dismissed as non-maintainable a set of petitions, including the plea against PML-N senior vice president Maryam Nawaz, for contemptuous remarks against superior court’s judges and scandalizing the judiciary.

As proceedings commenced, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan after hearing arguments of the petitioner's counsel, first reserved the decision and then announced that the pleas filed against Maryam, Azam Nazir Tarar, and others are dismissed.

However, the petitioners' counsel advocate Rana Muhammad Shahid could not satisfy the court over how the pleas were maintainable and how “a case containing contemptuous remarks against superior court’s judges could be heard in Lahore High Court”.

During arguments, the counsel informed the court that Maryam had allegedly spoken the contemptuous remarks six times during a speech she delivered at the party's worker’s convention in Sargodha.

He contended that Maryam delivered her speech on February 23, 2023, which most Pakistani television channels aired and cited the six times the PML-N senior vice president uttered the contemptuous remarks.

The counsels further contended in the petition that Maryam scandalized the superior court before the whole country and committed contempt offenses.

He requested the court to summon the PML-N leader before the court and proceedings 'be initiated against her to bring her to book in accordance with law'.

In other petitions, he told the court that the image of the courts was tarnished by scandalizing the judges.