Lawyer to end contempt plea against audio leaks body

ISLAMABAD:

 

Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial has fixed Advocate Riaz Hanif Rahi’s plea in connection with the withdrawal of his contempt petition against Justice Qazi Faez Isa and two high court chief justices on July 31.

CJP Bandial will hear Advocate Rahi’s plea in his chamber.

Rahi had filed a contempt petition against the three members of the commission – Justice Isa, Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan and Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.

The commission formed by the government to investigate the audio leaks concerning the judiciary as well as PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz over the violation of the apex court larger bench’s July 26 order wherein the notification for the inquiry body was suspended.

The contempt petition stated that the three members of the inquiry commission conducted their proceedings by “encroaching” upon the courtroom No 2 of the apex court till about 2pm without any legal authority.

Rahi argued that despite the apex court’s stay order, Justice Isa conducted the commission’s proceedings for some other collateral purpose and other two members remained silent.

The plea added that Maryam had criticsed the CJP after the larger bench’s May 26 order.

Subsequently, the SC registrar had returned the contempt petition by raising objections.

The SC registrar observed that the petition contained scandalous language and that was why it was not entertainable.

He also noted that the petitioner had not pointed out which part of the order was violated by the respondents.

Later, the larger bench in its May 31 order noted that Rahi had requested for the registration of the contempt petition.

“We understand the [SC registrar’s] office has raised certain objections on the same. If so inclined, [the] ASC [advocate of the Supreme Court Rahi] may remove these objections,” it added.

Now, Rahi has decided to withdraw the contempt petition along with his appeal against the registrar office’s June 2 order.

Interestingly, this is the second matter related to Justice Isa that is being fixed before CJP Bandial in his chamber.